KARASAK, Indonesia — More than 50 people from Islamic groups demonstrated against a church in West Java on Nov. 7, chanting for it to stop worshiping during its Sunday service, according to Muslim online news site Arrahmah.com.
The King of Glory church of the Christian Congregation of Indonesia denomination (Jemaat Kristen Indonesia or JKI) was worshipping in the Graha Mulia (Planet of Glory) multipurpose building in Karasak village, Astanaanyar district of Bandung City, when the protestors gathered. Chanting “Allahu akbar [God is greater],” the crowd claimed the building was not approved for worship purposes, according to another Islamic Web site, Hidayatullah.com.
Protesting members of the Karasak Muslim Citizens Communication Forum, the Islamic Congregation Front and West Java Islamic Reformation Movement said the church did not have permission from area residents, although church leaders said an area official had given permission since 2005.
Agus Nugroho, a leader of the JKI church and an administrator of the Graha Mulia building, said the church had permission from the local area official known as a ward captain. The church submitted an application for a permit at a higher governmental level in 2005, he said.
Church permit applications are often stalled in Indonesian government offices, opening the way for Muslim groups to accuse them of worshipping without official permission.
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