VOA, 14 November 2005
Indonesian Christians Complain Islamic Militants Close Churches
By Marianne Kearney, Jakarta
[PHOTO: Indonesia Christian church service (File photo)]
Christian groups in Indonesia say their right to worship freely is being hindered by
conservative Muslim groups that have forced more than 30 churches to close this
year. However, Muslim groups charge that Christians are violating the law by using
shops and houses as places of worship.
As real estate it is not much. Wedged in beside a major highway, off a dirty little lane
and behind a Muslim boarding school, it is hard to imagine that these two houses
have become the focus of a dispute in the Jakarta suburb of Jatimulya.
Last month, a group of white-robed young men, wearing the peci caps of devout
Muslims, arrived and blockaded the houses, which had been serving as the Jatimulya
Protestant church.
A sign declares that the buildings were closed on behalf of local government, because
nearby Muslim residents objected to the house being used as a place of worship.
Under the law, religious groups must obtain permission from local residents before
they can build a mosque or a church.
But Reverend Ana Nenoharan, the minister of the Jatimulya church, says it was not
local residents, but students from a boarding school outside the suburb, who forced
the church closed. She says that the closures are always done by outsiders,
because her congregation knows all the Muslims in the area.
Christian groups say more than 30 churches have been forced to close in Indonesia
over the past year. Most reportedly were intimidated by a group called the
Anti-Apostasy Alliance. Their tactic is to accuse Christians of breaking the law by
praying in unlicensed churches, and claiming that local Muslims object to the
churches.
But Christian groups say militant Muslim groups are exploiting a law that allows a
single person to block the construction of a church. That means applications to build
can drag out for years.
Reverend Nenoharan has been waiting for more than a decade to build a proper
church. In the meantime, her congregation must conduct services in a street near
their boarded up house. She says there are 2,000 Christians here, but not one
church, and all the public buildings are either mosques or sports centers.
Reverend Nenoharan says she complained to local government officials that the
church was closed down by outsiders, not local residents. She says they went to the
district head, and said they are residents here who have the same rights as people
from other religions. But, she says, he told them they do not have permission from the
government to worship.
Village head Haji Suleiman says he does not to know who boarded up the houses
Reverend Nenoharan's congregation used for worship services. He says the church is
not closed - just secured. And it was just human beings who did it. He says he does
not know who did it, but maybe they are from around this area.
Christian leaders say that in a country where more than 85 percent of the population
is Muslim, the law is biased against minorities.
Richard Daulay is the head of the Indonesian Communion of Churches. He accuses
the government of failing to protect Christians' rights. "That is the weakness of our
government now," he said. "They are not able yet to give freedom to people as it was
instructed by constitution."
Mr. Daulay says he complained to Indonesia's president, Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono, about the intimidation. Presidential spokesman, Andy Mallerangeng,
says the president has told the Indonesian police chief to prevent attacks on religious
minorities.
However, Mr. Daulay complains that some police commanders still say Christian
groups are breaking the law, so they cannot block church closures.
Mr. Mallerangeng does say the government is looking at revising the laws. "To make it
possible to have some revisions on the rules so that it makes it easier and more
transparent on how minorities can set up churches in Indonesia," he added.
However, Reverend Daulay says the intimidation continues. This month, a house used
as a church in Makassar, on the island of Sulawesi, was vandalized by a mob. And
recently, Reverend Nenoharan says, she was detained for an hour by young men
armed with knives, who said they were from an Islamic group.
|