Defiance of the law, a Protestant Church demolished in Indonesia this March 21, 2013

... and ... Another Protestant Church is still threatened with demolition in Indonesia

1) Church in Bekasi demolished on Thu, March 21 2013

 The community was gathered in the church on Thursdays mornings to pray, hoping that the unofficial announcement of demolition would not being followed up by effect …They held a prayer service in the Church, in the hope that the demolition would not occur when public order (Satpol PP) officers arrived at the location.

A bulldozer arrived at the place around 11:00, the members of the Congregation of the Church began to cry and scream while some were trying to prevent the bulldozer to move closer to the Church. Many have collapsed when he started to tear the walls of the Church. They tried to reason with the agents  Satpol PP, asking them to stop the demolition, but in vain.

It was totally demolished on Thursday afternoon, around 14:45. The bulldozer of the local administration has shaved the Church even when the community of the pastor Torang Parulian Simanjuntak has never received official notice of demolition. The Church will make a trial against this illegal act of the local authorities.

Source : Post de Daniel Hamiche

Observatoire de la christianophobie

       And The Jakarta Post 

2) Another Church of Western Java is threatened with destruction of "administrative" false grounds

West Java: Christians in the streets to demonstrate in favour of religious freedom also to stop church demolition and  the charges against clergyman.

The church in question has been closed, official seals placed on its doors by local authorities claiming (along with Muslim groups) that it was built without the proper permits. Demolition, city officials said, was a matter of a few hours.

However, the Huria Kristen Batak Protestant (HKBP) Filadelfia Church of Bekasi opened to worship for thirteen years and had, with difficulty, all the required permissions.

About a hundred members of a Bekasi church so gathered in the street to pray and protest against this discriminatory measure, while very close to there two hundred Muslims protesting the protesters:  "Demolish the church right away!» They are infidels and they build their churches without permission! ».

During this time, the pastor who heads the Church, reverend Palti Panjaitan, was charged with "defamation". In the past, it was however the target of death threats.

For good measure, reverend Palti Panjaitan, is subjected to a load since December 2012 for defamation following a complaint by a certain Abdul Azis, a Muslim extremist, the same which has threatened to death against the pastor and is therefore not at his first attempt..

That is the raison of the complaint of the Muslim. Useless to say that local police has buried the pastor’s complaint. Whereas are faithful of the church which for years, are the object of provocations and attacks on local Muslims.

Source : Post de Daniel Hamiche

Observatoire de la christianophobie

      And  Asia News