Doulos Foundation permit questioned
Doulos Foundation permit questioned
JAKARTA (JP): Authorities will not allow reconstruction of the
Christian-run Doulos Foundation complex in Cipayung, East
Jakarta, which was destroyed by a mob last year, unless the
foundation pays a fine of Rp 2 billion (US$215,000) for land
misuse, a city official said on Tuesday.
City Planning Agency Chief Ahmadin Ahmad told a hearing with
House members from Commission II on law and home affairs that the
city administration's decision could not be changed, but the
city's top officials, including Governor Sutiyoso, could agree
later to lower or simply eliminate the fine.
According to Ahmadin, the site of the complex was initially
zoned as public park land.
Executives of the Doulos foundation complex, which ran a
theology institute and a narcotics rehabilitation center there,
had been informed about the land misuse but refused to pay the
fine.
"They have to pay the fine first before being allowed to
rebuild the church and guarantee that such a thing (violation)
will not happen again," Ahmadin said.
He added that the complex was constructed without a building
permit.
The attack against the Christian Foundation stunned both
Muslims and Christians in the capital when some 300 people, armed
with sharp weapons and Molotov cocktails, stormed the complex and
burned the 2.7-hectare complex to the ground on Dec. 15 last
year.
The incident, widely condemned by many parties, led to the
disclosure that the foundation had no building permit nor license
to run a theology institute and narcotics rehabilitation center.
The city administration had earlier refused to issue a permit
to the foundation because of the violation.
However, the Doulos Foundation and residents of Cipayung, East
Jakarta, signed an agreement declaring that the foundation could
rebuild the complex, soon after it secured permit from the city
administration.
The issue came to light at Tuesday's hearing after legislator
Panda Nababan from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle
(PDI Perjuangan) asked the latest progress of the matter.
East Jakarta Mayor Andy Mappaganty echoed Ahmadin saying that
the foundation built the whole complex in 1997 before obtaining
any building permits from and his office had delivered demolition
orders for the buildings before the 1999 attack.
"Now, the foundation wants to build a bigger hospital.
Although it is for the good, it still needs to have permits.
The foundation has to change the land usage first," Mappaganty
said.
Governor Sutiyoso pledged that he discuss the matter with
related officials and report the results to the House as soon as
possible. (dja)