JAKARTA, Indonesia — In the wake of several attacks on worship services by Indonesia’s notorious Islamic Defenders Front (IDF), several Jakarta-area church leaders rejected the IDF’s offer to help protect them over Christmas. IDF leader Rizieq Shihab made the offer in December, saying he was working in cooperation with the Indonesian Communion of Churches and the Indonesian Bishops Conference. But several churches publicly rejected the offer, with online forums comparing IDF church protection to “foxes protecting a chicken coop.” Jakarta’s police chief Dec. 18 reportedly promised protection for every “registered” church in the area.
Many Indonesian churches are unregistered, however, since they fail to meet the strict conditions of a Joint Ministerial Decree governing places of worship. The Indonesian public has harshly criticized IDF members for their role in multiple church attacks over the past year and faulted police and politicians for failing to intervene. One attack Sept. 12 led to the arrest and detention of 13 IDF members, including Murhali Barda, leader of the IDF’s Bekasi branch.
During the attack, assailants stabbed and critically wounded church elder Hasian Sihombing and beat Pastor Luspida Simanjuntak over the head with a wooden beam.
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