Church activists sue regent

Church activists sue regent

MEDAN, North Sumatra: Protestant church activists have filed a law suit with the local administrative court against the regent of North Tapanuli for barring their reverend from leading a mass this week.

The regent banned Rev. SAE Nababan from leading the mass on the grounds that the gathering could spark a physical clash with congregation of a rival camp within the conflict-ridden Batak Toba Protestant Church (HKBP).

About 5,000 people who had assembled at the Paniaran church in Siborongborong had to go home in disappointment upon hearing that security authorities had stopped Nababan as he entered the town, activists said.

The activists considered the local government's barring Nababan an "illegal act" and demanded Rp 4 million (US$1,800) in compensation.

Nababan was the HKBP chief until the military replaced him in 1992 with Rev. P.W.T Simanjuntak. The government's intervention intensified the bickering in the HKBP. (aha)