'I feel much safer this year'

Churchgoers who observed Christmas Eve felt more relieved that the police, in cooperation with social and religious groups as well as political organizations, safeguarded churches across the city. Some churchgoers shared their feelings after the Christmas with The Jakarta Post.

Agustinus, is a teacher who lives in Semper, North Jakarta, with his wife and two children:

I felt much safer this year due to heightened security during celebrations on Christmas Eve. However, I cannot deny that I was still a little worried as I recalled the series of church bombings two years ago.

Therefore, I sat outside the church with my children in anticipation of any such possible incident.

In general, I must say that the police have improved security much better. Besides, many bomb suspects have been arrested now. That's quite a relief.

I hope that the police will maintain these security measures, not due to international pressure but because of their own increased awareness of the need for it.

Far more important is how to create tolerance and understanding between followers of different religions. Imposing a military approach will simply make people more scared.

Yukti, 46, lives in Karanganyar, Central Jakarta. He lives with his wife and only daughter:

Even though more police were deployed to safeguard Christmas celebrations this year, I still felt a little worried about possible incidents.

However, I got the impression there were many more police and paramilitary civilian groups affiliated to other religious or social organizations to guard Christmas celebrations.

If I were a victim, I imagine trying to surrender to God as it could happen to me anytime. It's hard to erase the nightmare of the bombings two years ago? at churches across the nation.

Pati Tambunan, 27, works in the entertainment business and lives in Jatinegara, East Jakarta, with his cousins:

I wasn't scared at all about attending the Christmas Eve service at my church. Should there have been a bomb, it would just happen. It's up to God whether we survive or not.

I still feel a bit traumatized when I remembered the incident two years ago. I should have attended the service at my church, but some of my friends invited me to go to another church. I was saved, as I later heard my church had been bombed.

This year, I feel more secure thanks to the police, who carefully safeguarded the service.

Nevertheless, it would be better if security procedures were less burdensome, as the metal detector checks scare some churchgoers.

I'm a bit annoyed by the tighter security here.

Sadiyo, 49, is a retired sailor who lives in Juraganan, West Jakarta, with his wife and five children:

Frankly, I've felt far safer observing Christmas this year due to the better security that has been provided.

Besides, I am happy to see that many civilians and groups affiliated to religious, social and political organizations have taken part actively in safeguarding Christmas.

Tolerance between different religious believers is a relief at present.

In previous years I was always worried about possible incidents or bomb attacks perpetrated by radical groups.