Irawaty Wardani, Jakarta – Representatives of the Indonesian Christian Church (GKI) Yasmin congregation were disappointed Friday as high-ranking government officials did not attend a meeting to discuss a demand to relocate their church.
The government was scheduled to have been represented by Home Affairs Minister Gamawan Fauzi, National Police chief Gen. Timur Pradopo and Religious Affairs Minister Suryadharma Ali in a meeting with lawmakers at 7:30 p.m.
"The government cancelled the meeting, none of them came to the House of Representatives today [Friday]," GKI Yasmin spokesman Bona Sigalingging told The Jakarta Post over the phone.
Previously in the afternoon Bona said they were invited by Home Affairs Ministry's director general of state unity and politics in which the official insisted the church to be relocated.
"Of course we refused since the Supreme Court ruled in our favor as well as recommendation from the Ombudsman. If we followed the request, we would have violated the law," Bona said.
According to lawmaker Eva Kusuma Sundari, the government cancelled the meeting because they needed to consolidate the issue first.
She expressed her concern over the government's stance that backed those who violated the law. "This is really ironic, it is an abuse of power by the government," she said.
She really regretted the government's decision to cancel the meeting while member of GKI Yasmin congregation would celebrate Christmas in a few days. "The government does not have a sense of crisis. We are supposed to discuss emergency solution so they can celebrate Christmas peacefully," she said.
The Bogor city administration under Mayor Diani Budiarto has barred GKI Yasmin members from conducting religious services inside its own building. The mayor claims that there were many objections to the congregation by nearby residents.
GKI Yasmin had taken the matter to the Supreme Court, which later issued a ruling in their favor. The court said that the church had a legal permit while Diani has been ignoring the ruling.