Arientha Primanita & Markus Junianto Sihaloho, Jakarta – Experts have warned that Sunday's attack on churchgoers in Bekasi could be symptomatic of a growing religious intolerance in the country that if left unchecked could ignite deeper conflicts.
During the incident, unknown assailants attacked worshipers from the Batak Christian Protestant Church (HKBP) in Pondok Timur Indah as they held Sunday services on an empty plot of land they own.
Church elder Asia Sihombing was stabbed in the stomach during the attack, and the Rev. Luspida Simanjuntak was beaten with a stick when she attempted to come to his assistance.
Both are still recovering in Mitra Keluarga Hospital in East Bekasi, with Asia being housed in the intensive care unit.
For the congregation, Sunday's attack was just the latest episode in a line of intimidation and abuse directed against it.
The congregation was forced to hold services in the empty lot after its church in Pondok Timur Indah was sealed off at the order of Bekasi Mayor Mochtar Mohammad, after hard-line Islamic groups had threatened violence if he failed to close it down.
In August, the congregation, which was already holding services outside under a heavy police presence, was the victim of a similar attack.
On Monday, Andreas Pareira, from the opposition Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), said this latest incident should be seen as a national problem.
He said the attack was just the latest in a string of violent acts against minority religions and sects, and was indicative of "systematic and organized actions to disrupt freedom of worship" across the country.
"I believe this latest incident is part of a wider conflict rooted in interreligious conflict," Andreas said. "That's why the government must act decisively in identifying the perpetrators."
Ismail Hasani, a researcher with the Setara Institute for Peace and Democracy, said the attack may have been masterminded by groups looking to take advantage of conflicts between Muslims and Christians.
He called for the authorities to crack down on vigilante groups and to amend the government decree on the establishment of houses of worship.
The decree requires that applicants must get the signed approval of the majority of local residents before being granted a permit to build a house of worship.
"Those terms are not feasible and are very discriminatory against minority religions," Ismail said. "The freedom to worship is the right of all of our citizens and it must be protected."
The Setara Institute has previously said that attacks on churches and minority sects are on the rise, with more attacks recorded in the first half of 2010 than in the previous two years combined.
Part of the problem, according to Yuna Farhan, the secretary general of the Indonesian Forum for Budget Transparency (Fitra), is that the government tends to treat the fallout from religious conflict, rather than prevent it.
He said the Ministry of Religious Affairs had allocated Rp 11.5 billion ($1.3 million), or 37 percent of the budget for its interreligious harmony program, on post-conflict resolution.
"The ministry's acting like the fire department: they wait for a conflict to break out, then they dive in, rather than try to prevent it in the first place," Yuna said.
He said that in the draft of the 2011 state budget, the Religious Affairs Ministry was due to receive Rp 31 trillion, the fourth-highest allocation, and more than the Ministry of Health's Rp 26 trillion.
"Ironically, such a large budget has proven to be ineffective in preventing interreligious conflicts," he said.
Hasyim Muzadi, a former chairman of Nahdlatul Ulama, the country's biggest Islamic organization, called for Sunday's attack to be investigated immediately and for the perpetrators to be taken to court.
"It needs to be dealt with quickly because it's a very sensitive case and it could give rise to wider social problems," he said. "This is not a localized issue. It could have a ripple effect that stretches across the country, and even beyond."
Ismail added that a thorough investigation was needed to end public speculation about who was behind the attack.
A timeline of fear:
December 2009: A church service of the Batak Christian Protestant Church (HKBP) Pondok Timur Indah at a house in a residential complex in Bekasi is disrupted by hundreds of protesters.
Feb. 7, 2010: 200 protesters again rally against the house being used as a church.
March 2010: The Bekasi administration's Building Planning and Monitoring office (P2B) seals off the house. The church members later forcibly open the house, arguing the P2B did not follow proper procedures when sealing it off.
June 20, 2010: The P2B again seals off the house.
July 23, 2010: HKBP members file a complaint with the National Police against Syahid Tajudin, chairman of the Bekasi Islamic People's Forum (FUI), accusing him of violence and desecration for forcefully closing down their house of worship.
Aug. 1, 2010: The HKBP begins holding Sunday services in a vacant plot of land on Jalan Ciketing Asem.
Aug. 8, 2010: Dozens of HKBP worshipers are attacked by a mob while hosting a Sunday service at the vacant lot on Jalan Ciketing Asem.
Aug. 13, 2010: A mediation meeting between the Bekasi administration and HKBP ends in deadlock. Administration officials offer a new vacant building as a temporary place of worship, but the church insists on using its own land.
Sept. 12, 2010: A reverend is hit and a church elder stabbed by unknown assailants on their way to Sunday service.