HKBP clerics convene while rivals stage protests

JAKARTA (JP): The chronic internal conflicts of the Toba-Batak Protestant Church flared up again yesterday, with opposing camps trading threats of ex-communication and boycotts.

While over 530 clerics from the government-backed camp were convening to discuss working programs, some 150 clerics and supporters of the other camp marched to the House of Representatives to declare their refusal to accept any ruling made in the five-day clerics' congress.

The protesters also demanded an end to the military's intervention in the dispute and a cessation of its alleged violent treatment of some of the dissenters within the North Sumatra-based church, which is known by the acronym HKBP.

The five-day clerics' congress was opened on Thursday by Minister of Religious Affairs Tarmizi Taher. It is being attended by prominent church leaders, including the church's military- appointed Bishop P.W.T. Simanjuntak who, earlier this week, threatened to fire over 100 reverends and excommunicate thousands of church members for challenging his leadership.

The opposing camp, which resolutely backs the leadership of S.A.E. Nababan, called on the legislators yesterday to pressure the government and the military to back out of the dispute.

"It's the military and the government apparatus who have created a protracted crises within the HKBP, making use of some internal factors, and have been playing one church group off against another," Reverend I.T. Hutapea told legislators Jatikusumo and Sukowaluyo of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) faction yesterday.

"The military's intervention in this affair should be stopped. We call on the PDI to pressure the military to stop pitting us against the others," Hutapea said. "We also call on all members of the HKBP not to be provoked (by the military's campaign to divide church members)."

The reverends said in a press statement entitled Faithful to the End that the military's actions flouted President Soeharto's stance on the issue of religion.

In April 1992 President Soeharto said that "the state, much less the government, has no authority to intervene in the internal affairs of a religion, either its teachings or its institutions."

The church is Indonesia's largest, with an estimated three million members across the country. It split into two opposing camps in 1992, after it failed to elect a new chief to replace outgoing bishop S.A.E. Nababan.

The crisis sparked physical clashes among rival camps which, in turn, led to government intervention. A military-sponsored extraordinary grand synod, held in 1993 in spite of opposition from the Nababan camp, elected Simanjuntak to lead the church until 1999.

Nababan's supporters have adhered resolutely to their demand that the election be held anew. They still recognize only Nababan as the legitimate head of the church.

Yesterday, the reverends, however, told the legislators that Nababan's presence was no longer a factor in the dispute, as the reverend had already stated his willingness to step down.

Hutapea said Nababan had promised not to enter competition at the grand synod, if one is held, saying he only wants to see a peaceful resolution to the conflict.

Hutapea added that Nababan has sent a letter to the government explaining his stance on the issue but that, so far, he has not received a reply.

While the dissenting clerics were meeting the legislators, dozens of supporters, mostly young people, held a demonstration in the lobby of the House building, waving posters and singing songs.

The youths demanded that the military's decree appointing Simanjuntak bishop be revoked and that strong action be taken against any party using violence in connection with the church dispute.

In his speech during the opening ceremony, Minister Tarmizi called on the church to find amicable solutions to the dispute.

"The HKBP, as a religious institution, should be able to solve its internal problems in the spirit of true love," Tarmizi said. "It will not succeed in carrying out its mission and service to its flocks unless the substantial problem has been dealt with," he said.

He said the government would no longer attempt to reconcile the bickering parties, in the wake of the failed efforts of Coordinating Minister of Political and Security Affairs Soesilo Soedarman and Minister of Administrative Reforms TB Silalahi in 1993.

Simanjuntak said yesterday that the clerics' congress would discuss all matters except the leadership dispute. "We have no problems with the church's leadership," he remarked. (rms/swe)