Vento Saudale & Markus Junianto Sihaloho – Two legislators who joined the beleaguered GKI Yasmin congregation for Sunday services in Bogor got a firsthand view of the animosity directed toward the group when they were jeered and jostled by Islamic hard-liners.

Eva Kusuma Sundari and Lily Wahid, from the House of Representatives, joined the Christian congregation as they gathered in a supermarket parking lot to worship on Sunday morning.

But the service was interrupted by hundreds of members of the Indonesian Muslim Communication Forum (Forkami) and the Islamic Reform Movement (Garis), who chanted "Allahu akbar" ("God is great") while mocking and shoving the worshippers.

The congregation, which has been forced to hold its services at members' homes or on the sidewalk after the building permit for its church was revoked by the local mayor, then moved to a member's house, but was followed by the mob.

Bona Singalinging, a spokesman for the congregation, said the mob also attempted to break up the service at the house, forcing the congregation to suspend their worship until the hard-liners had dispersed.

"This was intimidation on the part of Forkami and Garis to come to a congregation member's house and try to break up our service," he said.

Eva, from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), said the experience had strengthened her empathy for the GKI Yasmin members as well as other marginalized groups. "The GKI Yasmin case isn't just about the church, but about national integrity and the rule of law," she said.

Shewas referring to Bogor Mayor Diani Budiarto's continued refusal to abide by a Supreme Court ruling ordering him to reopen the church. "I see these people [from Forkami and Garis] as the mayor's puppets, who are willing to be mobilized to flout the law."

Eva derided Forkami's claims that she and Lily were interfering in a local matter, saying that as legislators they were constitutionally empowered to monitor such cases. She also suggested that Diani's controversial stance might be financially motivated.

"There's no way the mayor would issue the permit and then all of a sudden rescind it if there wasn't some material gain to be had from the move," she said. "But we need proof to back up that idea."

Lily, from the Islam-based National Awakening Party (PKB), said she had received a report that a third party had offered to buy the church's land from the city. Bona said the offer had come to light shortly after Diani's office offered to relocate the church. Diani could not be contacted for a response to the claims.

Lily said she hoped that the central government would play a greater role in the matter by forcing Diani to comply with the Supreme Court ruling. She said that by letting the standoff continue the authorities were risking an imminent violent clash.