Protestant clergyman from Central Sulawesi released
He had been arrested on charges of weapons possession. Weapons were used to defend Christian refugees. In prison he met fundamentalist leader Abu Bakar Baasyir.
Jakarta (AsiaNews) After more than a year behind bars, Protestant leader Rinaldy Damanik, better known as Abang, was released for good conduct. He had originally been sentenced to three years for illegal possession of hand-made weapons during the Muslim-Christian war in Central Sulawesi.
Hundreds of happy faithful from Tentena (a district in Poso, Central Sulawesi) were waiting for him outside the prison.
Local church leaders were also present and expressed their joy for the release of the former chief of Central Sulawesi Crisis Centre.
The crowd waited impatiently from early morning but Abang left the prison only at 11 am.
Abang, who is also a former chairman of the Central Sulawesi Synod of Churches, was sentenced in June 2003 for his involvement in August 2001 in defending Christian refugees from the village of Mayowa (Morowali district in Poso). Armed police officers searched his van and found hundreds of illegal weapons.
He was scheduled to remain in prison until May 2005, but authorities in Poso decided to let him go for good conduct.
"We haven been strongly impressed by Rev. Damanik's good behaviour," Maesa's prison chief E Radjaguguk said. "He has provided a lot of spiritual advice to Christians in the prison," he added.
Spending time in prison was also a positive experience for Rev Damanik himself. "I met Ustadt Abu Bakar Baasyir (Muslim religious leader suspected of ties with al-Qaeda and of having inspired several terrorist attacks) and Imam Samudra (sentenced to life in prison as one of three people who carried out the Bali bombings in October 2002)," he said. "With them, I had the opportunity to discuss some issues".
After his release, Abang said he would soon be back to Tentena to help Christian refugees. (MH)
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