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.