Tesalonika Place of Worship Reopened, Calls for Tolerance Strengthen

The government faces a policy dilemma with no truly comfortable solution. Human Rights Minister Natalius Pigai stated that the place of worship of the Persekutuan Oikoumene Umat Kristen (POUK) Tesalonika congregation in Teluknaga, Tangerang, Banten, which was sealed several days ago, has been reopened. During a working meeting with Commission XIII of the DPR RI at the parliamentary complex in Senayan, Jakarta, on Tuesday, Pigai said the unsealing was carried out after coordination among various parties, including the Banten Regional Office of the Ministry of Human Rights. “The Ministry of Human Rights has paid attention to the case. The Banten regional office, after coordination with various groups, has carried out the unsealing,” Pigai said. Thus, according to him, the polemic has been resolved. “We have made efforts and have opened the sealing at the Tesalonika congregation in Banten. It’s done. If that’s settled,” he said. Generasi Muda Mathla’ul Anwar expressed appreciation for the reopening of the Tesalonika congregation’s house of prayer. General Chairman of Generasi Muda Mathla’ul Anwar, Ahmad Nawawi, viewed the step as a positive response from the government and related parties in resolving the polemic that had emerged in society. “We appreciate the steps taken by all parties to reopen the seal on that house of prayer,” he said. Nawawi emphasised that freedom of worship is a constitutional right of every citizen that must be guaranteed and protected. He reminded of the importance of maintaining a spirit of tolerance and mutual respect among religious communities. According to him, in social life, the majority group has a moral responsibility to protect minority groups, given that religious matters are in the realm of personal belief. This polemic began with the viral action of sealing the house of prayer belonging to the Persatuan Oikumene Umat Kristiani (POUK) Tesalonika congregation in Teluknaga. In the circulating video, several parties along with officials were seen installing a sealing sign after the Good Friday worship service. The incident triggered reactions from various quarters, including the Communion of Churches in Indonesia, which expressed concern over the event. This case once again serves as a reminder of the importance of maintaining interfaith harmony and ensuring the consistent implementation of constitutional values in a pluralistic society.