Review planned of decree on worship places

Review planned of decree on worship places

Blontank Poer and Eva C. Komandjaja, The Jakarta Post, Surakarta/Jakarta

Minister of Home Affairs M. Ma'ruf says the government has
decided to review a controversial ministerial decree issued in
1969 that some Christians claim has stopped them from building
churches.

The concession comes amid rising criticism toward the
government for taking minimal action while Muslim hard-liners
forcibly closed down dozens of churches in West Java over the
past year.

"We have to realize that Indonesia is a pluralistic nation,
let's show some tolerance in society," Ma'ruf said on Tuesday as
quoted by Antara.

Ma'ruf said the decree was no longer relevant and needed to be
reviewed as it came into effect more than 35 years ago.

The decree, jointly issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs and
the Ministry of Religious Affairs, stipulates that those who want
to set up houses of worship require permission from the local
community and local administration.

The ruling has forced some Christians to hold services in
houses, shops and other commercial buildings due to difficulties
in obtaining the necessary permits. Christians account for about
nine percent of the country's more than 220 million population,
the majority of whom are Muslims.

Muslim hard-liners grouped in the Anti-Apostasy Alliance
Movement (AGAP) have shut down over the last year churches, many
of which are unlicensed, in West Java's capital of Bandung and
neighboring areas.

An executive of the Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI)
Andreas A. Yewangoe reported last week to President Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono that 23 churches in Bandung had been forcibly
closed by the hard-line group between September of last year and
August of this year.

Two other closures were confirmed last week in Bandung and
Jakarta. Some of the churches did not have any permit as they
were located in residential areas.

The closure of the churches has sparked criticism, including
from moderate Muslim figures, who have called on the police to
take action.

Responding to the move by the hard-line groups, Ma'ruf said
that the country had laws and that people who violated them
deserved to be punished.

Separately, the head of the country's largest Muslim
organization Nadhlatul Ulama (NU), Hasyim Muzadi, urged on
Tuesday the National Police to take action against the groups who
had taken the law into their own hands by closing down the
churches.

"It is forbidden (of Muslims) to take over the police's
authority in upholding the law," Hasyim said.

Hasyim said that Muslims should not interfere with the case
but let the police do their work, underlining that the Koran
strongly rejected the idea of disturbing others religious
activities.

Separately, the National Police said they would further their
investigation before naming any suspects.

National Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Saud Usman Nasution said
that regional police were investigating the case to find out
whether they (the hard-line groups) had violated the law in
closing down the churches.