Indonesia: Report documents church closures
Apr 15 2008
Postings >> Indonesia

The extent of anti-Christian feeling in Indonesia has been brought into sharp focus by a report documenting church closures.

Some 110 churches were shut down by Islamist extremists and local governments between 2004 and 2007, according to the report by a broad alliance of religious and human rights organisations. The report's contributors include moderate Muslims.

The report concludes that, in several instances, extremist groups coerced local government officials to send letters to churches prohibiting any further worship activities.

It notes that Islamist radicals are exploiting legislation which makes it virtually impossible for small churches to gain an official permit. The Joint Ministerial Decree, revised in 2006, dictates that a church must have at least 90 adult members and written endorsements from 60 neighbours – which poses a huge challenge in mainly Muslim neighbourhoods.

Ifdhal Kasim, head of the Indonesian Human Rights Commission, is now urging President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to speak out against church closures.

• Pray for all those congregations which have been forced to shut their churches in recent years, due to pressure from Islamist radicals.
• Pray that President Yudhoyono will intervene to stop further church closures.