The Straits Times, 21 July 1998

SURABAYA -- Angry mobs in Indonesia's East Java have attacked shops and homes owned by Muslims they accuse of supporting ethnic Chinese traders, religious sources and residents said yesterday. Local people said a crowd of about 200 people drove through the Mumbulsari, Silo and Kencong sub-districts in the Jember regency, 150 km south-east of here, late on Sunday and early Monday, threatening Muslim leaders who had expressed concern over recent attacks on Chinese.

Residents said the crowd set three shops belonging to Muslims on fire, but there was no word of injuries.

In the past few weeks, ethnic Chinese-owned shops in the strongly Islamic Jember district have suffered attacks, and Chinese traders have sought help from local Muslim leaders.

One Muslim preacher said mobs of people from outside the district attacked his house late on Sunday, accusing him of supporting Chinese rather than Muslims.

"They shouted: 'The preachers should be defending Islamic followers but they are instead defending the Chinese'," Haji Imam Harromain said.

Another preacher in Selo, Haji Mustofa, who owned a shop in the Kencong village, was also intimidated by the unknown crowd, local residents said.

"They drove around the village shouting: 'The preachers are anti-Muslim, they support the Chinese'," one resident said.

A crowd also threatened Mr Nurhaimi, another community leader in Kencong who is linked to an Islamic boarding school where Chinese who fled their homes after attacks were offered shelter, one resident said.

Military officials in the district refused to comment on the incidents but have pledged to protect all citizens. The officials said there was no need for anybody to flee from the smaller villages to the larger towns for protection.

Ethnic Chinese Indonesians have been fleeing East Java for days after alleged intimidation and ahead of independence day on Aug 17.

In Surabaya itself, more ethnic Chinese were reported fleeing amid fears of further violence. Dozens were said to have left from the airport, with some reported heading for Hongkong and others to Singapore.

Residents said a number of Chinese-owned shops have been closed in recent days after rumours of imminent violence against them. Others are selling goods cheap to liquidate stocks and obtain cash. ---- Reuters.