W. Java police back closure of churches

Yuli Tri Suwarni, The Jakarta Post, Bandung

Despite laws banning people from taking the law into their own hands and recognizing freedom of religion, police in West Java have admitted to helping Muslim hard-liners close dozens of churches in Bandung.

West Java Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Muryan Faisal said here on Thursday his force backed the move to close more than 30 "illegal" churches, which according to him had caused anxiety among local residents.

The churches were established illegally in private houses, which resulted in resistance from local people mostly Muslims, he argued.

"Our investigation showed that they were not churches but private houses that were made into places of worship without permits from local authorities and approval of residents ... So, there were violations of regulations," Muryan told The Jakarta Post in Bandung.

He cited a joint ministerial decree signed in 1969 by then religious minister Moh. Dahlan and home minister Amir Machmud, which requires permission from local administrations for the establishment of houses of worship.

Muryan said the police would not arrest people or groups involved in the closure of the churches, despite mounting demands from moderate Muslim figures and legislators.

Such arrests were not necessary because the closures were not carried out with violence, he argued.

"They (those involved in the closures) asked for a police escort when holding talks with church worshipers and halting their activities. There was never any anarchy, so what is there to worry about?" Muryan said.

Earlier on Tuesday, Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI) leader Andreas A. Yewangoe complained to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono about the closure of 23 churches in Bandung by hard- line groups, including the Islam Defenders Front (FPI), from September 2004 to date.

However, Communication Forum of West Java Churches chairman John Simon Timorason said that 35 churches had been closed by the hard-line groups over the past year.

He admitted that the closed churches did not have permits as required in the joint ministerial decree, but had indeed obtained operational licenses from the West Java Religious Affairs Office.

The FPI is part of the Anti-Apostasy Movement Alliance (AGAP) that has aggressively been campaigning for the closure of churches in West Java. It also often raided and attacked nightspots during Ramadhan.

Prominent moderate Muslim figures, including Azyumardi Azra and former president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid, had urged the National Police to take firm action against FPI and other extremist groups who took the law into their own hands by closing the churches.

Only the government is authorized to close houses of worship, argued Azyumardi, the rector of the Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University.

Gus Dur had specifically told President Susilo to take harsh action against the FPI for forcibly closing the churches in Bandung.

Should the authorities fail to deal with the hard-line group, he warned, members of the Banser youth group affiliated Gus Dur's Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) would move to take over the case.

"To top FPI leaders, I warn them to heed this appeal," Gus Dur said.

House of Representatives members also made a similar call for the government to arrest those involved in closing the churches in West Java.

"The government must be firm against those creating anarchy. Police must arrest them," lawmaker Agung Sasongko of House Commission III on social and religious affairs said as quoted by Antara.

He said the House would hold a hearing with Christian leaders from Bandung soon and present the results to Minister of Religious Affairs M. Maftuh Basyuni.