Theresia Sufa, Bekasi, Bogor – Before the dust has even settled in two congregations' battles to build churches in Bogor and Bekasi, the cities' authorities are being pointed out as more of a hindrance than a help in the struggle for the right to worship.
Fifteen congregation members from the Indonesian Christian Church (GKI) at Taman Yasmin housing complex in Bogor, West Java, have guarded their church construction site since Saturday out of fear the Bogor administration would again seal off the site.
"And, it happened. Public Order Agency officers and those from the police and military came and locked the site," said GKI Taman Yasmin spokesman Bona Sigalingging.
Secretary-general of Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI) Rev. Gomar Gultom said the administration had violated the law by sealing off the church. "Based on the country's Constitution, the government should protect its citizens' right to freely choose their religion," Gomar said.
Bambang Gunawan, secretary of the Bogor administration, said his institution had offered a relocation plan for the church. "We just want them to leave this area," he said.
Church minister Rev. Ujang Tanusaputra said the administration did not need to find a new place for the church because "we have the permit needed to build this place and have paid for the construction with our own funds."
On Sunday, the church congregation held their service on the sidewalk in front of the unfinished site.
The city administration revoked the church building permit on Feb. 14, 2008, two years after it was issued, citing protests from local residents against the church as the reason. The Bandung Administrative Court later overturned the decision in favor of the church.
The church construction continued in January this year, but in February, Bogor Mayor Diani Budiarto who is backed by the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), revoked the building permit again after residents protested.
Meanwhile, in Bekasi, some officials came to see the Huria Kristen Batak Protestan church (HKBP) congregations to pass on a decree from Bekasi Mayor Mochtar Mohammad, a politician from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).
The decree rules that the congregations must not perform service at the unfinished site in Ciketing, instead suggesting a temporary move to a building on Jl. Chairil Anwar, East Bekasi for two years.
The administration has provided two options for new church locations on Jl. H. Mandor and on Jl. Strada.
HKBP lawyer Sahara Pangaribuan said they would discuss the options with the congregation. Sahara said the church demanded the administration not discriminate against them.
On Sunday, the congregation performed their service on Jl. Puyuh Raya, Mustika Jaya, Bekasi, under heavy guard from hundreds of Public Order officers and police following an attack to two church leaders last week.
Recent religious violence and tension has prompted people to organize an online petition demanding religious freedom, which has now gained almost 13,000 signatures.
Aside from the petition, around 200 people from the Religious Freedom Solidarity Forum marched in front of the State Palace on Sunday to condemn the violence against HKBP leaders.