Release International

More than 1,000 Bible college students demonstrated in West Jakarta after local officials evicted them from refuges where they took shelter from attack last year.

The students from the Arastamar Evangelical Theological Seminary (SETIA) were evicted last month from temporary accommodation at the campsite and a former municipal building which have been their home for more than a year (Prayer Alert, November 3, 2009). They were forced out of their campus in Kampung Pulo, Jakarta, in July 2008 when a violent mob raided the college, demanding its closure (Prayer Alert September 2, 2008).

Amnesty International reports that at least 17 of the students have gone on hunger strike to protest that local officials have not kept their promise to provide suitable alternative accommodation. Student demonstrators recently formed a blockade outside the former West Jakarta mayoral office where some of them had been living.

The Jakarta provincial government has offered to house students in a former holding centre for migrants in North Jakarta – but SETIA college officials insist the building is not fit for habitation. SETIA's secretary Ronald Simanjuntak told Release sources: 'A barn for water buffalo is much nicer than that place. Our primary request is that we be allowed to return to our own campus peacefully.'

Jakarta officials say they are looking into building a new campus for the college in Lippo, Cikarang, West Java province.

(Sources: Amnesty International, Compass Direct)

• Pray that SETIA students and staff will be able to continue their studies.
• Pray for God's will to be done in re-establishing the college where it will have most impact for His glory.

Back to top