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)