Tags

Indonesia

• Indonesian House Churches Closed and Boarding House Damaged

  In two separate incidents, house churches on the island of Java were closed by Muslim mobs in late July, according to VOMC sources in Indonesia. In a suburb of Semarang, a city on the north coast of the Indonesian island, a mob dismantled the building used by the Isa Almasih Church.  The church had not met since the building was sealed earlier that month.  Until recently, the church had met for twelve years without any problem.

   VOMC sources also report that six house church congregations were closed in the Permata Cimahi House Complex in the city of Bandung, after the village head met with Muslim leaders and decided to close all Christian places of worship in their area.  On July 27, the village head gave notice to each congregation that, effective on July 31, the houses could no longer be used for worship. On the morning of July 31, a mob of forty to fifty Muslims, armed with machetes, clubs and sickles, marched to each house church and painted on the door, "Forbidden to Use for Christian Sanctuary."  The pastors all managed to flee before the mob arrived.

  Headmaster Matheus Mangentang Photo from www.litindo.org/nl/effect/contacten/setia.php

  In earlier July, a boarding house for the Arastamar Theological School in east Jakarta was also attacked on two separate occasions.  Members of the militant Islamic Defender's Front accused the school of building a worship center.  On July 6, a mob of around 100 people stormed the building, which was still under construction.  According to a July 29 report from Compass Direct, a government official accompanied the mob.  The building was still under construction at the time.  A week later, a large group returned again to finish the destruction, but was warded off by students from the school.  Damage to the building is estimated at 100 million rupiah (over $12,000 CDN).  Headmaster Matheus Mangentang told Compass Direct that his school has a total of 1,219 students. "Many of them are poor and can’t go anywhere else," he said.  "Now around 300 of them will have to sleep in a building with temporary walls until we can afford the repairs." The school management has decided to forego legal action.

  Muslim leaders in Indonesia met last week and expressed concern about the rapid growth of Christianity in the nation.  Presently 85% of the Indonesia's 220 million people are Muslim. Pray for Christians throughout Indonesia who are facing opposition from Islamic groups determined to stop the spread of Christianity. Pray that the believers will continue to share Christ boldly and without fear.

  For more information on persecution facing Christians in Indonesia,click here. A twenty-minute video presentation on difficulties experienced by the Church in Indonesia is available through VOMC's multimedia website, https://www.vomcanada.com/.

• UPDATE: Court Case Against Children's Workers

  The Voice of the Martyrs learned yesterday that the court case for Rebekka Zakaria, Eti Pangesti and Ratna Bangun is to be transferred to the High Court.  This is expected to significantly lengthen the trial of these three women accused of attempting to convert Muslim children through a Christian education program. According to an August 2 report from Compass Direct, the announcement was made by the lead prosecutor during a July 28 hearing.  With a courtroom filled with angry hecklers, the women attempted to defend themselves, saying they had been completely open about their program and had received permission from the parents.  None of the parents are now willing to come forward to discuss the case.  After explaining the program to the court, Judge Hasby J. Tholib told the women that Muslim children should never have been allowed in the program.

  Rebekka Zakaria, Eti Pangesti and Ratna Bangun in Court; Protestors Outside Courthouse

• Update: Three Women on Trial

  In May, the Persecution and Prayer Alert reported on the arrest of three Indonesian women for attempting to convert Muslim children to Christianity.  According to updates received from VOMC sources in Indonesia, the trial has been chaotic as masses of people have gathered around the courthouse, calling for a jihad and threatening to kill Christians.  The trial itself has been reportedly interrupted by loud shouts and threats against the women.  During the July 21 hearing, an official from the Department of Religion, Dr. Abdul Wahid Syakuri, stated that teaching the Christian faith to Muslim children was an act of apostatizing the children, despite testimony from the defense that no Muslim children had converted to Christianity through the children's program.  The trial resumes on July 28.

  Continue to pray that the three women, Rebekka Zakaria, Ratna Bangun and Eti Pangesti, will be found innocent.  Pray that Christians will maintain a consistent testimony of peace in the midst of the turmoil of this trial.

  For more information on the difficulties facing Christians in Indonesia,click here.

• Indonesia Update: Bombing in Tentena

  On May 28, two deadly blasts in a market in Tentena on the island of Selawesi, Indonesia killed at least twenty-one people and injured many others (click here for details).  According to an Associated Press report from June 4, police have arrested seventeen suspects, including the two responsible for the actual bombing.  Those arrested include the head of a local prison, three prisoners and an Islamic junior high school master.

• Deadly Market Blast in Indonesia

  At least twenty-one people died and many more were injured when two carefully timed bombs exploded in the market of the predominantly Christian village of Tentena on the island of Selawesi, Indonesia.   The first bomb exploded at 8:10 a.m. on May 28 at the south end of the village market.  Twenty minutes later as people rushed to the scene, a second more powerful bomb exploded killing those who came to help.  The most recent reports confirm twenty-one dead and forty-two injured; some critically.  A list of those killed and injured is available here.

  While those responsible for this horrific attack have not been identified, it is believed that Islamic militants are responsible.  There is concern that this may have been an attempt to revive tensions between area Christians and Muslims which has settled significantly in recent months.  VOMC sources in Indonesia report that emotions are high in the area, particularly among the youth.  Retaliation is a concern.

  Pray that peace will reign in the hearts and minds of Christians in Tentena.  Pray for Christian leaders, as they shepherd their congregations through this disaster. 

  For more information on persecution in Indonesia,click here. A twenty-minute video report on Indonesia entitled "Island Jihad" is available online in the Video section of VOMC's multimedia website, https://www.vomcanada.com/.

• Indonesia Update: Women Arrested for Evangelizing The May 18 Persecution and Prayer Alert reported on the arrest of three Indonesian women accused of attempting to convert Muslim children (click here for more details). VOMC sources in Indonesia have met with the three women and have received more details on the incident.  They report that the charges come from an incident involving the twelve year old daughter of a prostitute living near their church.  The girl had been given a Bible and t-shirt at her request. The women are being detained in a 2-metre square room in the Indramayu Police Station. 

  Pastor Rebeka and family

  Pastor Rebeka's husband, Lukas (left)

  Pastor Rebeka, Mrs. Ety, Mrs. Ratna In their cell in the Indramayu Police Station

• Three Women Face Charges for Evangelizing Children

  Dufan (Fantasy World) in Jakarta

  Charges have been laid against three Indonesian women as the result of a picnic which they led at Dufan (Fantasy World) in Jakarta in December 2004.  The picnic conducted by a church-run children's program.

  Some Muslim children joined the picnic and there were no problems until some of their parents raised complaints last month.  According to VOMC sources in Indonesia, the three women, Dr Rebecca, Mrs. Ratna and Mrs. Lia, were summoned to the police station on May 3 and charges were formally laid against them on May 14.  The ladies face charges of attempting to Christianize the Muslim children and they could face up to five years in jail under the Children Protection Constitution. 

  The Pondok Ceria ("House of Children") program is intended as a fellowship for Christian children but many Moslem children have expressed a desire to participate in the games and teachings.  The Pondok Ceria is operated under the auspices of Haurgeulis synod of the Gereja Kristen Kemah Daud (GKKD) in Indramayu County, West Java.

  Pray that these charges will be dropped and that this ministry to children will be able to continue.

  For more information on the persecution facing Christians in Indonesia,click here.  A video report on the courage of Indonesia's Christians entitled "Island Jihad" can be viewed on VOMC's multimedia website, https://www.vomcanada.com/.

• Christians Continue to Face Challenges

  Fire at VOM's Medical Treatment Centre

  Three separate stories from Indonesia in the past week demonstrate the continued difficulties faced by Christians in the most populous Muslim nation in the world.

  On January 25, The Voice of the Martyrs received the news that our medical treatment centre and storage facility in Indonesia had been totally destroyed by fire.  Valuable medical supplies and items for distribution to persecuted believers in the country were destroyed.  Thankfully there were no injuries.  The cause of the fire is under investigation.  Pray that the supplies needed for this valuable work will be restored soon so that the ministry will be able to continue.

  On February 1, VOM also learned that the local government in West Pasaman, West Sumatra had issued regulations that all female students in public and Islamic schools must wear the Muslim head coverings, regardless of their religion.  Only private Christian schools are exempt from the regulations.

  Immanuel Church in Indonesia Site of Shooting on December 12, 2004

  In a follow-up to our report in December in which a sixty-one year old security guard was shot during a church attack on December 12. VOM has learned that ballistic evidence indicates that a police weapon was used in the shooting.  A high-ranking police officer has also been implicated in this and another church attack in Central Sulawesi that day.

  Pray for endurance for Christians facing persecution in various ways in Indonesia.  Pray for justice and peace. 
  
  For more information on the difficulties facing Christians in Indonesia,click here.

• Churches Face Pressure to Close; Priest Killed

  Along with the challenges facing Indonesia after the December 26 tsunami, Christians in Indonesia are continuing to be confronted with difficulties in this predominantly Muslim nation.

  According to VOM sources in Indonesia, three new churches have been threatened with closure when the head of the North Grogol community where they are located accused the churches of disturbing the community, as well as meeting illegally in business buildings.

  The three churches, Abraham Camp Church (GKA), Bellezza Indonesia Bethel Church (GBI) and GKRI Karmel, confirmed that the meeting halls could be used for business or other purposes, including religious meetings.  The pastor of the GKA church, K.A.M. Jusufroni, is firm that the church will continue to meet.  They have a legal certificate from the Religion Department, authorizing them to meet. "Nothing can stop Christians to worship God," he said.

  

  In a separate incident, a priest in Purworejo in Central Java, Thomas Harsidiyono (50), was found dead in a church retreat compound on January 14 with massive head wounds.  Despite the string of attacks against Christians in various areas of Indonesia, the provincial police chief said that the attack was "probably" robbery.  However, police have frequently downplayed incidents of violence against Christians.

  Pray for these churches facing possible closure, as well as the parishioners dealing with the loss of Fr. Harsidiyono.

  For more information on the difficulties facing Christians in Indonesia,click here.

• Pastor Seriously Wounded in Machete Attack

  Despite a massive police presence to prevent violence against Christians during the Christmas season, a pastor and companion were seriously wounded in a machete attack in Poso in Central Sulawesi on Christmas Eve. Reverend Jemri Tambalino was riding a motorcycle when he was attacked by a machete-wielding mob. He suffered deep wounds to his neck and face. A friend with him sustained injuries to his hand. This attack took place despite 180,000 police and military personnel on alert to prevent a repeat of the violence around Christmas time seen in previous years.

  Pray that Pastor Tambalino will fully recover from this attack. Pray for his attackers, that they will come to experience the grace and love of Jesus Christ.

  For more information on persecution of Christians in Indonesia,click here.