JK's Statement on Martyrdom Draws Scrutiny

Jakarta, VIVA – The statement by Indonesia’s 10th and 12th Vice President, Jusuf Kalla, during a lecture at the Gadjah Mada University Mosque has drawn attention. Several community organisations and Christian religious institutions, united under the Central Executive Board of the Indonesian Christian Youth Movement (DPP GAMKI), have issued an official stance on the remarks. In a circulating video of the lecture, Jusuf Kalla touched on religious conflicts such as those in Poso and Ambon. In a particular segment, he expressed his views on beliefs that emerged during the conflicts. In response, DPP GAMKI, along with several organisations, held a press conference and issued a statement. The event also involved various elements, including the Indonesian Christian Community Council (MUKI), the Indonesian Pastors Association (API), and several other community organisations. The General Chairman of DPP GAMKI, Sahat Sinurat, read out the three main points in the statement. “First, we state that Christianity never teaches killing Muslims to achieve martyrdom and enter heaven; on the contrary, Christianity teaches loving fellow humans, even enemies,” he said in a written statement on Sunday, 12 April 2026. Furthermore, GAMKI expressed objections to the statement, which they deemed to cause unease among the faithful. “Second, he revealed that they strongly condemn Jusuf Kalla’s statement, which hurts the hearts of Christians. In addition, the statement is seen as causing disturbance in society,” he said. As a follow-up, GAMKI along with several organisations stated they would take the matter to the legal realm. “Third, therefore, we, consisting of various Christian institutions and community organisations, will report Mr Jusuf Kalla to the Indonesian National Police,” said Sahat. After delivering the statement, representatives of the institutions and organisations then proceeded from the DPP GAMKI Secretariat in the Menteng area, Central Jakarta, to National Police Headquarters to submit the report.