Theresia Sufa, Bogor – Despite potential disturbances involving disputes over the presence of places of worship in residential Bogor areas, the congregations of the Indonesian Christian Church in Taman Yasmin (GKI Yasmin) and Catholic Church Santo Yohanes Baptista have decided to hold Christmas services in their own buildings.

The Bogor mayoralty administration on Friday decided to move the services for GKI Yasmin to the nearby Harmoni building after a multiparty meeting that involved the Home Affairs Ministry, the Religious Affairs Ministry, the State Intelligence Agency (BIN), the police and military.

According to GKI Yasmin spokesperson Bona Sigalingging, an intelligence report indicated possible "acts from radical groups" should the GKI Yasmin continued with the plan to hold holiday services at the sealed church building.

"We will hold the services in our church, or next to it. We want to celebrate Christmas in our legally-owned church, as decided by the Supreme Court," he said on Friday.

The congregation has been unable to conduct its regular church services for more than two years since the local administration revoked a church building permit it had previously approved.

Bogor city councilor A. Usnar Hariman said that the GKI Yasmin case was final and that the mayor would execute the court's ruling. However, Usnar said that residents living nearby insisted on rejecting the church. To protect the peace, the administration decided to delay issuing the permit.

"The Council has agreed to allow the administration disburse money to rent the Harmoni building, which we consider a proper place for GKI Yasmin to hold services from Dec. 25 to Jan. 1. We hope that the church's members can cooperate for the sake of peace and stability," he said.

Father Albertus Fimbol Gaid Pratolo of Santo Yohanes Baptista in Parung said that the Bogor administration had asked them to move the service to a vacant lot in Kahuripan, Parung. "We won't back down. I will still lead the services even though several parishioners have warned me against this," he said.

The regency administration had issued an order to halt the church activities, arguing that its location in a residential area was in violation of spatial regulations. Albertus said that he had tried to obtain a permit for seven years, but had not found results thus far. "We cannot get the permit easily. After seven years of struggle, we are devastated. But we will hold on, no matter what happens."