Christians hold services on streets as churches blocked

Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Around 500 Christians from two churches in the Jati Mulya housing complex in Bekasi, West Java, were forced to conduct Sunday services on the streets after a group of people blocked their way into their respective churches.

Former chairman of the Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI) Nathan Setiabudi said persons claiming to be members of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) have blocked roads into HKBP and Gekindo churches since Saturday, forcing congregation members to conduct their Sunday services on the street in front of the churches.

"Both churches have a total membership of around 800. As most of them have agreed to have Sunday services no matter what happens, Protestant ministers decided to hold their services on streets," he told The Jakarta Post on Sunday.

Nathan said some congregation members decided to go home to avoid clashes.

"Although both the churches do not have permits, they have been there for 15 years. They want to get a permit but can't get it even after 15 years of requesting," he said.

He added that no violence occurred during the blockade or service as a group of police officers from Bekasi were in attendance.

Bekasi deputy police chief Adj. Comr. Ritonga said that his office had deployed around 100 officers to secure the situation.

"Right now, representatives from both sides are discussing how to end the conflict," he said.

Meanwhile, Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Tjiptono said that as long as no violence or destruction of property, the police would not interfere and would only monitor the situation.

He said that they could not remove the blockade because not only did both churches have no required permit but also they wanted to avoid provoking the blockaders.

Many churches in Bandung and Jakarta have been closed forcefully by hard-line Muslim groups, including the FPI and the Anti-Apostasy Movement Alliance (AGAP).

Earlier, PGI leader Andreas A. Yewangoe complained to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono about the closure of 23 churches in Bandung by hard-line groups since September 2004.

Christians in the country have called for the revocation of a 1969 joint ministerial decree, which requires that congregations wishing to build a church obtain a permit from the head of local administration and seek permission from local residents.

With Indonesia being predominantly Muslim, minority Christians often have difficulties in building churches, and instead use houses, shop-houses or hotels to hold services.

Jafar Sidiq of FPI said on Sunday that the FPI and local people in Bekasi had never closed down churches, but only private houses that had been turned into worship places.

"I believe that my friends in Bekasi would never close down churches. But if a private house was turned into a place of worship then it has violated the ministerial decree. I think everyone should obey the regulations," he told the Post.