Indonesian Riots Rage Despite Tolerance Talks

THE AGE, Nov. 23—As the first reports of new rioting in Indonesia began to come in, Melbourne's daily, The Age, reported six people dead, two churches burnt, and, possibly, a Catholic school destroyed.

Coincidentally, it said, the violence came shortly after a summit on religious tolerance in the area.

“Only three days ago, religious leaders from all denominations met to appeal for restraint in the face of heightened social tension,” said the report. It quoted Adurrahman Wahid, leader of the country's largest Muslim group, saying, “National reconciliation is needed to calm the escalating situation. There has been a trend that religions are used by certain factions to sow hatred in an attempt to maintain power.”

The rioting started when Muslim gangs heard rumors of attacks on Muslims by Christians.

75-Year-Old Imprisoned for 1950 Priest's Death

BRITISH BROADCASTING CORPORATION, Nov. 23—A recent court decision reminded the world that, though members of the Church may have some reconciling to do with the world over past wrongs as the new millennium approaches, after the unprecedented number of martyrdoms in the 20th century, the world has plenty of reconciling to do with the Church as well.

The BBC reported that the Czech Republic has sentenced a former Czech secret police officer to five years in prison for torturing a priest to death in 1950.

Ladislav Macha, 75, was convicted of killing the priest while investigating an alleged miracle at a village church.

“In his efforts to make the priest confess to faking the miracle, Macha deprived him of food and sleep and beat him with a stick,” said the report. The priest died of his injuries.

The BBC correspondent in Prague noted that Macha has appealed against his sentence.