The four murdered men were part of Kalimago village; they were killed by attackers believed to be the same terrorist group that attacked Sigi village six months ago. The victims were between the ages of 42 and 61.
Open Doors local partner Ari Hartono* says the attack comes as a shock to believers in Central Sulawesi who are still reeling from the November attacks: “Central Sulawesi locals are still traumatized from the terrorist attack in Sigi last November and have not recovered yet,” he says. “They need our prayers now.”
The terrorist group, believed to be East Indonesia Mujahdin, was the first Indonesian group to pledge allegiance to the Islamic State group in 2014 and the attack on the 99 percent Christian village is now being seen as religious persecution. In this area, there are many farmers who live in the forest far from the village. The terrorists targeted them.
Ari, updated us, saying that Christians in the area must give whatever the terrorists ask so they don’t get killed.
“It was possible that these 4 people were against or not cooperating with the suspects. If they put up a fight, then they would have been killed.”
This latest attack is the third one on Indonesia Christians in the last six months, including the November 2020 Sigi village attack and the recent Palm Sunday bomb attack on a church in Makassar. Indonesia is No. 47 on Open Doors’ 2021 World Watch List.
