BOGOR, Indonesia — Government officials in West Java province blocked one church from worshipping, and Islamic groups pressured authorities to seize the property of another during the Christmas season.
The Bogor Regency Administrative Leadership Council tried unsuccessfully to forbid the Indonesian Christian Church (ICC) in Bogor’s Taman Yasmin area from holding a Dec. 25 Christmas service, but authorities did block it from its regular Sunday service Dec. 26.
In Rancaekek, Bandung, Islamic demonstrators got police to remove items from a Huria Kristan Batak Protestan (HKBP) church building Dec. 19 that had already been sealed.
In Bogor, ICC Yasmin spokesperson Bona Sigalingging said police telephoned church leaders to forbid Christmas services that were to begin at 7 p.m. The church held services anyway, with nearby demonstrators screaming, “Allahu akbar (God is greater)!” and “Break it up!” Authorities blocked them from worshipping the next morning, however, at their regular Sunday service.
In Rancaekek, Bandung, Islamic protestors occupying the front part of the HKBP church premises clamored for police to remove property from the building; eventually authorities removed the pews and other items. The local government had already sealed the building, but demonstrators from the hard-line Muslim Intellectuals Gathering Forum of Rancaekek arrived Dec. 19 at 4 a.m. calling for its belongings to be removed, sources said.
Local officials ultimately brought three cars to take property out of the place of worship, and at 10:30 a.m. the pews and other items were seized.
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