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Indonesia

• Local Governments Impede Church Buildings

  

  Local officials have denied a group of Indonesian Christians the right to build a place of worship, even though the believers own the land. This situation has been taking place in a small city, which has approximately 10,000 Christians, that's located near the capital of Jakarta.

• Four Christians Killed

  

  A small militant group associated with ISIS, referred to as The East Indonesia Mujahideen, is known for its acts of violence. This same group was responsible for an attack in November that left four Christians dead (read the report). Therefore, when five members of the group were spotted in the village of Kalimago on May 11th, the townspeople were alarmed.

• Palm Sunday Suicide Bombing

  

  The Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral in Makassar, Sulawesi, had just finished its Palm Sunday Mass on March 29th, and were in the midst of preparations for a second service, when the air was suddenly filled with the sound of an explosion. A newly married couple belonging to the ISIS-affiliated group, Jamaah Ansharut Daulah, had detonated explosives, killing themselves and wounding at least 20 other people.

• Christian Family Killed in Terrorist Attack

  

  The Indonesian police and military have launched a hunt for the Islamic terrorist group responsible for killing four Christians of a single family and setting fire to homes in Central Sulawesi. This is the third attack within the past three months that was committed by members of a small group, known as the East Indonesia Mujahidin, who have pledged allegiance to ISIS.

• Protests Force Church to Close

  

  The New Testament Christian Church in Central Java was meeting for worship on February 16th when protesters entered the building and demanded that the church service stop. As the demonstrations continued, police arrived to mediate. The pastor received permission to finish the service and meet with the opposing community members later.

• Community Pressure Causes Church Closure

  

  The state of religious freedom in Indonesia was brought again into the spotlight when local authorities broke up a Sunday service at the Indonesian Pentecostal Church in the province of Riau on August 25th.

  The church had been meeting in a building that also served as the pastor's home since 2014. This congregation faced opposition, however, from some neighbours. A letter was sent to the church on August 7th, banning them from conducting any religious activities inside the home. Under a 2006 decree, religious buildings require the approval of community members. While passed in the name of religious harmony, this law has created significant problems for Christians and other minority religious groups.

• Christian Girls Targeted

  

  In various areas of the world where Islam is dominant, tactics are being used by militants to stop the spread of Christianity. One way is to target young Christian girls. According to Greg Kelley of World Mission, Islamic leaders in Indonesia have been training young men to seduce and impregnate Christian girls, often forcibly. Due to cultural pressure, and the shame that is brought on the families, the victimized girls are often forced to marry into a Muslim family.

• Prison Sentences for Church Bombings

  

  A married couple has been convicted and sentenced for their part in the bombing of three churches in Surabaya in May 2018. Agus Satrio Widodo received a sentence of eight years, and his wife Damayanti received 40 months after a court found them guilty of "aiding criminal acts of terrorism," as well as criminal conspiracy.

• Former Governor to be Released Early

  

  In May 2017, the governor of Jakarta was convicted of blasphemy and received a two-year prison sentence. The charges arose from a statement made by Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, questioning a claim of some clerics that the Quran forbade Muslims from voting for a Christian. For more details, go to this page.

• Proposed Religious Education Law

  

  Christian organizations in Indonesia have raised concerns about a new religious education bill that would require government permits before conducting any classes, including Sunday school, catechism or Bible classes. The law, if passed, would require a minimum of 15 participants, along with approval from the government's Religious Affairs Ministry.