Theresia Sufa, Bogor, West Java – Two groups engaged in a scuffle on Sunday, hurling verbal abuse at each other in defending their position over whether the Bogor municipal administration should reopen the Indonesian Christian Church (GKI) Yasmin.

Members of the radical Indonesian Muslim Communication Forum (Forkami), which supports the closure of GKI Yasmin, were scheduled to meet with activists from the West Bogor Community Forum (FMBB), which has long sought a peaceful resolution to the GKI Yasmin saga.

But tension rose when Forkami activists rejected an FMBB request to meet at a different location that was considered neutral.

Forkami insisted the meeting should be held in a private home in the vicinity of GKI Yasmin that belonged to a Forkami member. FMBB then demanded that Forkami stop picketing the GKI Yasmin building.

"We are concerned about Forkami's street protests, because we know that street protests will not lead to a solution to this problem," FMBB official Asep Zulfikar Falak said.

Asep, head of the Alfalakiyah Islamic Boarding School, said that Forkami and Bogor Mayor Diani Budiarto should obey the ruling of the Supreme Court, which ordered the reopening of the church.

Bogor Police deputy chief Comr. Irwansyah said a talk involving members of the two groups taking place near GKI Yasmin could easily turn violent.

More police officers were then sent to the location to secure the site and to disburse the crowd. The heavy presence of police personnel and protesters from the two sides prevented the GKI Yasmin congregation from holding Sunday services.

A spokesperson for GKI Yasmin, Bona Sigalingging, however, praised FMBB's effort to defend the congregation. "If they had not turned up today, we would have certainly been attacked by Forkami," he said.

Earlier this week, Supreme Court chief justice Harifin Tumpa said Mayor Diani had no excuse for disobeying the court order. Harifin also said that there's no legal grounds for the mayor to move the church to a new location. "Relocation can only be done if the congregation approves it," he said.