'Community approval is needed'

'Community approval is needed'

The recent forcible closures of churches in Jakarta, Bekasi,
Bandung and Surakarta by hard-line Muslim groups has raised
questions about religious tolerance in the country. The Jakarta
Post interviewed residents about the issue.

Burdah Baridah, 27, is a social worker at a non-governmental
organization in East Jakarta:

I do not think there is a strict need for building permits for
places of worships. However, religious activities at houses
should at least be approved by the people in the neighborhood.

I mean, no one wants his area turned into a busy neighborhood,
right?

Dahlia, in her 30s, works at a company in Kemang, South
Jakarta. She lives with her family in Kalibata, South Jakarta:

Personally, I do not take the issue seriously. I have lots of
friends of different religions and I have not had any problems
with them. We are supposed to join hands to make a better world,
not worry about such trivial stuff. If they want to build a place
of worship close to my house, I would not mind as long as they
told me about it so I could anticipate possible nuisances, like
parked cars.

Of course, people who want to build a place of worship should
consult first with local community leaders, like the neighborhood
heads. It is just a matter of anticipating possible disturbances.

-- The Jakarta Post