Abilio ordered to lift rule on mosque restoration
Abilio ordered to lift rule on mosque restoration
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M. has ordered East Timor governor Abilio Jose Osorio Soares to rescind a governor's decree that has kept the minority Moslem community in the territory from repairing their mosques.
H.S.A. Yussac, chief spokesman of the ministry, said yesterday that the governor's decree runs counter to a central government policy on the establishment of houses of worship and the minister has asked that it be removed.
Under the controversial decree issued by Abilio last June, non-Catholics must obtain the consent of the local community's Catholic parish priest before they can build a house of worship.
Roman Catholicism is the dominant religion in the former Portuguese colony.
Yogie's order came after the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) filed a strong complaint with the government saying that the decree has prevented the reconstruction of mosques, Moslem orphanages and schools that were destroyed during racial riots in various parts of East Timor last September.
Yusacc said that the establishment of houses of worships throughout Indonesia is governed by a 1969 joint decree between the ministers of home affairs and religious affairs.
The decree empowers local administrators, either the regency chief or city mayors, but not local religious officials, to approve plans to build prayer houses, taking into consideration the area's spatial planning, local conditions and recommendations from local Ministry of Religion offices.
The local administrators can also seek the advice of local religious leaders, as in the case of East Timor the parish priest, in the decision-making process.
Yusacc said Governor Abilio could issue a new ruling as long as it is not in conflict with the 1969 joint decree.
MUI chairman Hasan Basri yesterday quickly lauded Yogie's decision that the controversial decree be revoked.
"I think this is a fair action by the government," he was quoted by Antara as saying.
"We hope that the climate in East Timor will improve so that everyone can get on with their religious practices. There mustn't be any lingering mutual suspicions," Basri said.
He added that MUI plans to raise funds to finance the reconstruction of mosques and other facilities in East Timor.
Non-Moslems elsewhere in Indonesia, in reacting to the controversy, have pointed out that they often found difficulties in building their houses of worship in predominantly Moslem communities, who have often refused to issue the necessary recommendation. (imn)