We recently received the following account about Rev. Rinaldy Damanik from Ian Freestone in Australia, who gave us permission to reprint his story. Damanik, an Indonesian pastor and peace activist, has been in prison since 2002 on charges of weapons possession that nearly all observers believe to have been fabricated. Damanik recently had his sentence reduced and is scheduled for release this month. For more information on Damanik's case, visit our web site: www.jubileecampaign.org. 

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Damanik: Prisoner AND President
Monday, 18 October 2004
by Ian Freestone ian@rnc.org.au, based on a conversation with Ibu Mona Saroninsong, Crisis Centre, Sulawesi, Monday 18.

On Sunday, October 17, Rev. Rinaldy Damanik, imprisoned for three years on a trumped-up charge of "carrying illegal weapons," was elected by an overwhelming majority as President of his Church, the GKST (Gereja Kristen Sulawesi Tengah / Christian Church of Central Sulawesi). The GKST is the largest Protestant church body in the Central Sulawesi region.

Prison authorities, together with authorities in Jakarta, granted Rev. Damanik special leave between October 14 and 18 to attend the Church meeting held at Damanik's hometown of Tentena, Central Sulawesi. Rev. Damanik left the prison under tight security with local media agreeing not to publicize his leave from the prison and his presence in Tentena. There were concerns that some troublemakers may have used the occasion to create tension and conflict. (Coincidentally, there was unrest in Central Sulawesi over the weekend with several people killed, but this had nothing to do with Damanik's short release).

There had been discussions with Rev. Damanik during the year regarding the upcoming election. He made it clear that his preference was just to be "a regular pastor with special responsibility for internally displaced persons." His ambition was not to be President, but he added, "I will do what the Church chooses for me to do."

Well, now the Church has spoken loudly and it is a strong endorsement of Rev. Damanik's (often controversial) stand for truth, forgiveness and reconciliation.

Rev. Damanik left the prison at 1:00am on the 14th with a heavily armed escort and drove through the night to attend the meeting. The 639 members, representing over 300 churches, clapped in sustained celebration when he arrived and listened in reverent silence as Reverend Damanik presented his fifteen- minute report on how he believes the church needs to become more like the church of Jesus in the world. During the report he reinforced his strong belief in reconciliation and peace.

Discussions continued on various issues over the next few days. Rev. Damanik preached at a service for IDPs (internally displaced persons) in Tentena on Sunday morning and the election for President was held on Sunday afternoon. 632 of the 639 members voted in favour of Rev. Rinaldy Damanik's being their next church President, effective from 17 October for a full five years. Rev. Damanik is believed to be the first church president in Indonesia also to be a prisoner!

Mona Saroninsong of the Crisis Centre has been an active advocate for Rev. Damanik's cause and sees the vote as part of the "joy coming in the morning" after a "very long dark night" for the Church and for Rev. Damanik and his family. Further joy will be experienced when Rev. Damanik is due for release from prison in November.

For more information, contact:
Ann Buwalda
Jubilee Campaign USA