Muslims attack Christian farms, kill pigs

Jakarta (AsiaNews/Afp) – A group of Muslims armed with spears and machetes attacked several Christian-run pig farms in Indonesia, slaughtering animals they said were producing offensive smells, a report said on Wednesday.

Some 20 pigs were killed on farms in South Tatura, central Sulawesi province, as police looked on, the Jakarta Post said. It said the attacks followed warnings to the pig breeders to shut down their operations.

"The farms give out a bad odour and this is offensive, especially during Ramadan," Abdul Haris of the South Tatura Muslim youth organisation told the paper. "As the pig breeders were so errant, we decided in a meeting to take decisive action to end the pollution and the stench," Haris said.

Consumption of pork is forbidden under Islam, whose followers are currently marking Ramadan, a holy month of fasting in which Islamic sensitivities run high. Indonesia is the world's largest Muslim-populated nation.

Clashes between Muslims and Christians killed up to 1,000 people in central Sulawesi between 2000 and 2001. The government brokered a peace deal in December 2001 but occasional violence continues.

• indonesia
• muslims
• fundamentalism
• violence
• ramadan
• islam
• christians
• pigs