Muslims halt church building in Indonesia

JAVA, Indonesia — Nine hard-line Islamic organizations have persuaded local officials in Bekasi district, West Java, Indonesia, to halt the construction of a church. Church officials had previously secured all government and business permits.

Islamic displays of displeasure with the prospective church began Sept. 19, when 500 people from the Islamic organizations shouted in unison and raised banners against construction of the church building. About 200 of them came back and demonstrated against the project 10 days later.

They returned again Oct. 3 and demanded that the project be sealed off from further development, shouting, “There should not be a single church built in the Cikarang area.”