Story number 1 for 29 Dec 2000

Topping the news, the State Department is urging U.S. citizens to defer nonessential visits to Indonesia and all travel to Aceh, Maluku, Papua and West Timor. Bombings of religious, political and business targets have occurred throughout the country, and there were several dozen explosions at churches Christmas Eve. Far East Broadcasting Company’s Jim Bowman. “I think what lies behind these very aggressive, and very bloody attacks, is political. Indonesia has a constitution that guarantees freedom of religion and that is not to the liking of Muslim extremists. So, you have these extremists on the side that are bent on making Indonesia a Muslim state.” Bowman adds that part of the problem is a corrupt government, which has led the people on a search for truth. “During times of unrest like that, people are more than ever responsive to the Gospel. We see that too, in the radio rallies that we’re holding there, that more and more people are coming and more people are making a profession of faith in Christ.”