Indonesia: April 10, 2000

Archives

Some 500 Moslem militants armed with spears and swords forced their way into parliament to seek the blessing from the speaker of parliament for a jihad in the Malukus. The militants said they received the blessing. While the president of the country is a Moslem cleric and can get away with preaching tolerance, other politicians feel compelled to go along with supporting more religious violence lest they be labeled "un-Islamic." Meanwhile, five more have died in Aceh province as the government takes a harder line on separatist rebels.