Ban Christian churches on streets with Islamic names, says Indonesian mayor
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Pastor Dale Morgan
Aug 24, 2011, 1:18:33 AM8/24/11
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Ban Christian churches on streets with Islamic names, says Indonesian mayor
Critics say the decree, proposed by Bogor mayor Diani Budiarto, is another example of growing religious intolerance in the world's most populous Muslim country.
10:38AM BST 23 Aug 2011
The Telegraph UK
The move is the latest attempt to block construction of a new church in Indonesia
The ruins of a burned church in the Poso area of Indonesia's Sulawesi island
The Taman Yasmin Indonesian Christian Church was supposed to open in Bogor in 2008, but residents protested, claiming its permit was illegal.
Though the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the parishioners in December, Mayor Budiarto has so far refused to comply.
He argued he was pushing for a decree to make it illegal to open churches on streets with Islamic names.
Indonesia, a secular nation of 240 million, has a long history of religious tolerance, but an extremist fringe has become more vocal - and violent - in recent years.
Critics said President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono - who relies heavily on Islamic parties in parliament - has remained silent as minorities have been attacked by hard-liners or seen their houses of worship torched or boarded up.
Christians, who make up 10 per cent of the population, also say it can take years to get permits to build new churches.
The Taman Yasmin worshippers have been holding weekly services in front of their sealed off building for nearly three years, said Bona Singalingging, the church spokesman.
He called the mayor's latest proposal part of a "dangerous" trend.
The Setara Institute for Peace and Democracy, a human rights group, says attacks on religious freedom by hard-liners more than tripled in the last two years.
In 2010, there were 64 incidents, ranging from physical abuse to preventing groups from performing prayers and burning houses of worship, up from 18 in 2009 and 17 in 2008.
Ban Christian churches on streets with Islamic names, says Indonesian mayor
Critics say the decree, proposed by Bogor mayor Diani Budiarto, is another example of growing religious intolerance in the world's most populous Muslim country.
10:38AM BST 23 Aug 2011
The Telegraph UK
The move is the latest attempt to block construction of a new church in Indonesia
The ruins of a burned church in the Poso area of Indonesia's Sulawesi island
The Taman Yasmin Indonesian Christian Church was supposed to open in Bogor in 2008, but residents protested, claiming its permit was illegal.
Though the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the parishioners in December, Mayor Budiarto has so far refused to comply.
He argued he was pushing for a decree to make it illegal to open churches on streets with Islamic names.
Indonesia, a secular nation of 240 million, has a long history of religious tolerance, but an extremist fringe has become more vocal - and violent - in recent years.
Critics said President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono - who relies heavily on Islamic parties in parliament - has remained silent as minorities have been attacked by hard-liners or seen their houses of worship torched or boarded up.
Christians, who make up 10 per cent of the population, also say it can take years to get permits to build new churches.
The Taman Yasmin worshippers have been holding weekly services in front of their sealed off building for nearly three years, said Bona Singalingging, the church spokesman.
He called the mayor's latest proposal part of a "dangerous" trend.
The Setara Institute for Peace and Democracy, a human rights group, says attacks on religious freedom by hard-liners more than tripled in the last two years.
In 2010, there were 64 incidents, ranging from physical abuse to preventing groups from performing prayers and burning houses of worship, up from 18 in 2009 and 17 in 2008.
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