Govt has confusing stance on HKBP rift<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Officials yesterday sent mixed messages about
\nthe government's position on the prolonged dispute within the
\nToba Batak Protestant Church (HKBP).<\/p>\n
The HKBP issue was raised in three separate hearings between
\ncommissions of the House of Representatives (DPR) with Minister
\nof Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M., Minister of Religious Affairs
\nTarmizi Taher and Armed Forces (ABRI) Chief Gen. Feisal Tanjung.<\/p>\n
Yogie told the House's Commission II, which deals with
\ndomestic politics, that the government only recognizes the HKBP
\nboard led by bishop J.W.T. Simanjuntak, whom he said has replaced
\nS.A.E. Nababan.<\/p>\n
Gen. Feisal, however, said that the government and ABRI will
\nnot interfere in the HKBP dispute and remain neutral.<\/p>\n
\"That fact that President Soeharto recently received
\nSimanjuntak and Siahaan does not mean that the government has
\nrecognized their leadership,\" Feisal told the House's Commission
\nI which deals with security affairs.<\/p>\n
Simanjuntak and his secretary general S.M. Siahaan were
\nreceived by Soeharto in March to report the latest developments
\nwithin the HKBP. Both men after the meeting said the government
\nonly recognizes one HKBP board, and that's the one they chair.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile Tarmizi declined to comment on the status of the
\ncurrent HKBP leadership, stressing that the dispute is an HKBP
\nmatter, and the government will not interfere.<\/p>\n
\"No other people can help solve this dispute, except HKBP
\nleaders themselves,\" Tarmizi told a number of pro-Nababan HKBP
\nreverends who intercepted him after leaving Commission IX's
\noffice. The commission deals with religious affairs.<\/p>\n
Two hundred thirty reverends in black robes and about two
\nhundred followers of the North Sumatra-based church staged their
\nsecond day of peaceful protests in the House compound.<\/p>\n
On Monday, they were met by House members from the government-
\nbacked Golkar and the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI), who
\npromised to convey their wishes to relevant government officials.<\/p>\n
Yesterday, a number of the reverends joined in the hearing at
\nthe three commissions' offices while the others waited outside.
\nThey were congregation members loyal to former bishop Nababan.<\/p>\n
The HKBP bickering came to a climax when the military
\nsponsored a grand synod in Medan in March of last year which saw
\nthe election of Simanjuntak as the new bishop.<\/p>\n
His opponents however rejected the election, calling it
\nundemocratic, and have rallied their support behind Nababan.<\/p>\n
The row has since erupted into clashes between the opposing
\ncamps in various places, such as Jakarta, Bandung and a number of
\ntowns in North Sumatra.<\/p>\n
In a statement signed by 230 reverends, they demanded that the
\nmilitary relinquish their right to use churches and liquidate the
\nsecurity units it has set up to secure Simanjuntak's leadership.<\/p>\n
Military<\/p>\n
Feisal during the hearing yesterday stated that the military
\nhas played no part in any HKBP affairs since the grand synod of
\nMarch 1993. ABRI will only step in when congregation members
\ncommit crimes or endanger national stability, he said.<\/p>\n
He also said that ABRI members are under strict orders not to
\ninterfere in the feud. \"If you see or know of any involvement by
\nABRI members, report them to me and I will take stern action,\" he
\ntold members of the House's Commission I.<\/p>\n
Bihelman Sidabutar, chairman of HKBP Java and Kalimantan
\ndistricts, however attacked ABRI's stand-off policy, saying that
\nFeisal's remarks could trigger new clashes between the bickering
\nparties.<\/p>\n
Sidabutar, who claimed to be neutral, said ABRI should instead
\nuse its influence to bring the two sides to the negotiating
\ntable.<\/p>\n
During the meeting with Tarmizi, the protesting reverends
\ndemanded assurances that their right to practice their religion
\nis respected by the government.<\/p>\n
Tarmizi, while giving the guarantee they sought, said the
\nconflict has put the government in an awkward position.<\/p>\n
Yogie said the best way out is for the two sides to work
\ntowards a compromise and reunite their congregations. \"We hope
\nthat they will reconciliate.\" (rms\/par\/11)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/govt-has-confusing-stance-on-hkbp-rift-1447893297",
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