T

he congregation of the Indonesian Baptist Church (GBI) in Saman hamlet, Sewon district, Bantul regency, Yogyakarta, decided yesterday not to hold Sunday mass after the police failed to provide security guarantees, a reverend has said.

'€œWhat could we do? We'€™ve been forced not to worship this Sunday,'€ Rev. Joni Teguh Hariadi told The Jakarta Post.

Joni revealed that he had sent a letter to the Bantul Regent with a copy forwarded to the police, asking for a security guarantee for the mass planned at a house in Saman hamlet. '€œThe regent has not yet responded to the letter,'€ he added.

In a meeting at the Sewon police station on Saturday, according to Joni, police intelligence officers gleaned information of a potential threat from hate groups from outside the hamlet who objected to the church'€™s activities.

'€œSaman residents don'€™t oppose us. This is a threat from a third party,'€ he said.

At the meeting, the GBI'€™s 50 members were advised to attend mass at other nearby churches. '€œBut the congregation members refused. They wanted to have Sunday mass at one of our member'€™s houses in Saman hamlet. Finally, we decided not to hold mass to avoid [disturbances],'€ Joni said.

Separately, Sewon Police Chief Comr. Heru Setiawan claimed that he had not received the GBI letter requesting security protection.

'€œIf they'€™d sent a letter saying they planned to hold mass at the house, we certainly would have provided security,'€ said Heru.

The absence of a security guarantee contravened a statement from Deputy Regent Sri Surya '€œIda'€ Widati, who had promised to protect the congregation while an activity permit was processed.

'€œWe will guarantee the security of members of the congregation as they go about their worship. They may pick the place and we will give them a permit,'€ Ida said.

According to a 2006 joint ministerial decree, a new house of worship must have the support of at least 90 congregation members and 60 local residents of different faiths. The decree also suggests that regents or mayors must facilitate the issuance of permits for houses of worship that were built before 2006.

Groups including the Yogyakarta Muslims Forum and Yogyakarta Jihad Front previously protested against the church.

In the early morning of July 20, unidentified persons lit a used tire and placed it in front of the church. The burning tire was quickly extinguished by neighbors.

Until now, police have not named any suspects in the arson.

Meanwhile, Sewon district chief Kwintarto Heru Prabowo said all parties who had met at the police office on Saturday had agreed not to conduct the mass at the Saman house because of threats.

'€œIt'€™s better to cancel the mass to avoid anything undesirable occurring. The GBI agrees,'€ Kwintarto said.

Interfaith Communication Forum (FKUB) Bantul head Yasmuri said his office had sent a letter to the regent asking him to allow the GBI congregation to worship in a place mutually agreed upon by residents and the government.

'€œWe didn'€™t specify that the place be located in Saman,'€ Yasmuri said.

Separately, human right activist Sri Wijiyati from the Yogyakarta Antiviolence Society (Makaryo) said the state should protect its citizens'€™ right to religious freedom, instead of getting bogged down in procedural matters such as permits.

'€œThe state apparatus should see the substance, the right to worship, as part of human rights that cannot be negated for any reason,'€ Sri said on Sunday.