Indonesia is frequently held up as a model Islamic state, an example of tolerance, pluralism, and interreligious harmony. Yet every week brings more news stories of threats, intimidation, and violence against the Christian minority by the Muslim majority.

Devout Muslims in the town of Bekasi in West Java insisted that a Christian church was illegal, and demanded that it be pulled down. Local government authorities duly complied, and sent heavy equipment to destroy the church as members of the congregation gathered and shouted their protests.

Many thanks to Vlad Tepes for uploading this video:

Below are two articles about the incident in Bekasi. First, from the International Civil Liberties Alliance:

Church Demolished in ‘Moderate’ Indonesia!

We are often fed the idea that Indonesia is a ‘moderate’ Islamic nation. Events on the ground would suggest something very different. The Australia News Network reports on the demolition of a Christian Church near Jakarta ^[1]. Click HERE for the Australia News Network Coverage which includes a video about the issue.

Again, we don’t hear a peep from the supposed high priests of religious tolerance at the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). The OIC promoted UNHRC Resolution 16/18 that purports to confront threats to freedom of religion. It seems very clear that the OIC does not in fact favour religious freedom and Indonesia is an OIC member state. Perhaps to the OIC, religious freedom only means the freedom to expand the reach of sharia.

Reliance of the Traveller ^[2], which is a well-respected manual on sharia law states that non-Muslims “are forbidden to build new churches” o11.5 (7) p608. Perhaps sharia itself is seen as justification of the demolition in Indonesia? So much for the idea that sharia is just about private matters of faith!

The OIC wants global laws that forbid any criticism of Islam so events like this in Indonesia are not subject to criticism. Such laws would therefore undermine religious freedom as well as freedom of expression.

Notes:

1.	Christian church pulled down in Indonesia (Australia News Network)
2.	Reliance of the Traveller: A Classic Manual of Islamic Sacred Law (Ahmad ibn Naquib al-Misri)

Another relevant article: Rights of Non-Muslims in an Islamic State, by Samuel Shahid, also addresses the issue of Church building.

From Asia News:

Indonesia: West Java: Bekasi Church Demolished to Gain Islamist Consent Ahead of Elections

Orders issued by the authorities Carried out, despite the pleas of the faithful. Christian leaders call for calm and to avoid “hostile” gestures. Behind the demolition of the shadow of the elections and the attempt to win Islamic extremist fringe votes. Yasmin Church also at risk.

Jakarta (AsiaNews) — Christian leaders are inviting the faithful to remain calm and avoid any “hostile” act that could exacerbate a delicate situation even more. However, tension is very high and violent episodes could explode in response to the demolition of the Huria Kristen Batak Protestant (Hkbp) Setu Church in Bekasi, in the Indonesian province of West Java, the demolition of the building was carried out late yesterday evening despite the appeal of the community that took to the streets to defend the place of worship. The authorities did not want to listen to the arguments of the Christian minority, destroying – after a standoff that lasted months – a church used for over 13 years for weekend services.

For the Bekasi Regency administration, the demolition is legitimized because the church lacked the proper building permits, the infamous IMB (Izin Mendirikan Bangunan). The procedure for the construction of a church in Indonesia – Catholic or Protestant – is complicated and it can take five to ten years to obtain all permissions. The written resolution that allows the opening of a construction site is issued by the local authorities. The process is even more complicated if it is a place of Christian worship: permission for the construction of the building must gain the approval of a majority of local residents and the local group for Interreligious Dialogue. And often “unspecified reasons” come in to play that lead officials to halt projects, under pressure from radical Islamic movements.

The Protestant Church of Setu apparently does not have the proper papers, although representatives of the Christian community have repeatedly applied for the necessary authorizations without any response.

According to Hkbp Setu Church sources, yesterday’s demolition – branded as “serious violation of religious freedom” – was motivated by “political opportunism”. Episodes of tension and inter-faith attacks on the Christian minority are frequent in West Java, now the situation is being compounded by “electoral calculations” ahead of the upcoming regional vote for a new mayor. To gain the consensus of the Muslim majority nation, especially Islamic fundamentalists, politicians attack the rights and freedoms of minorities, especially Christians.

Pastor Leonard Nababan, head of Hkbp Bekasi, invites the faithful to remain calm and avoid any act of violence. At the same time, he promises to make “every necessary efforts to defend the right to free practice of religion.”

Now the attention of activists and observers will move to the GKI Yasmin Church in Bogor, West Java regency, which is also at risk of demolition like the one that took place in Bekasi.

Hat tip for the Asia News article: C. Cantoni.