Most residents undisturbed by new church

Most residents undisturbed by new church

Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Head of Neighborhood Unit No. 6 in Larangan subdistrict, Ciledug
in Tangerang, Banten Abdul Rosip said on Wednesday that the
majority of people in the area had no objection to church
services being conducted there.

"The majority of residents here say that as long as their
activities don't disturb others, they don't mind. The fact that
out of around 5,000 residents in the community only around 100
people joined the rally proves that most residents have no
objection to the church," he said.

Abdul was referring to a protest by over one hundred residents
in front of a multipurpose building during the week. They
demanded that Christians stop using the building as a place of
worship.

The protest was led by heads of community units and several
neighborhoods.

"Some community chiefs and neighborhood heads were among the
people who led the rally. However, no destruction or vandalism
occurred during the rally as police came quickly to cordon off
the place," Abdul told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

The problem was then discussed at Abdul's office on Tuesday
and it was agreed that the building would no longer be used as a
place of worship.

Christians here have often held masses or Sunday services in
houses, multipurpose buildings and function rooms in hotels and
office buildings, due to difficulties in obtaining permits to
build churches.

A controversial joint ministerial decree issued in 1969
stipulates that those who want to set up houses of worship must
secure permission from people living around the planned church
and local administration.

Christians account from about 9 percent of the country's
population of more than 220 million, the majority of whom are
Muslims.

Last year, a group of local residents blocked the way into
Sang Timur, a school used to hold Sunday mass in Karang Tengah,
Tangerang, while Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI) chairman
Andreas A. Yewangoe reported to President Bambang Yudhoyono last
week that 23 churches in Bandung had been forcibly closed by
hard-line groups over the past year.

Abdul, however, said that the decision to ban services in the
building did not represent the wishes of the majority of
residents in his neighborhood as many of them had no objection to
the building being used for services.

Abdul said that he personally believed that as long as the
state recognized a religion as legal then its followers could
open a place of worship anywhere.

Similar views were expressed by residents living around the
multipurpose building.

"I don't know what really happened. Suddenly, many people came
here demanding that the Sunday service be stopped. However, as
the nearest neighbor, I don't mind if they conduct their prayers
there," Zuryati, a shop owner in front of the building, said.

Separately, city police chief Insp. Gen. Firman Gani said that
his officers would arrest anybody who assaulted others or damaged
buildings.

"We have asked people to let the police handle cases of permit
violations because if they handle it, it can get out of control,"
he said.