Since the passage of a decree in 2006, thousands of places of worship of minority groups have been closed or could not be renovated, most of them Christian churches.
Newsroom (15/06/2023 15:00, Gaudium Press) The Indonesian government decided on June 5 to relax rules for the construction of places of worship, including churches, by proposing amendments to a 2006 decree. This decree will soon be amended to meet the recommendations of the Forum for Religious Harmony (FKUB – Forum Kerukunan Umat Beragama), a platform that acts as a mediator on inter-religious issues in the world’s largest Muslim country.
Under the current rules, obtaining a license from the government to build a place of worship requires a set of recommendations, including that of the FKUB forum (whose members are predominantly Muslim). With the proposed changes, it would be sufficient to obtain a recommendation from the Ministry of Local Government (of the province in question) to begin construction.
The government’s decision to remove the rules was welcomed by Andreas Harsono, a researcher for the NGO Human Rights Watch, stating that “the government is returning to the principle of religious freedom guaranteed by the 1945 Constitution.”
“In the name of harmony, the minority submits to the majority. This is different from the concept of religious freedom, where all citizens have the same right to practice their faith, regardless of religion or belief,” Harsono stressed.
Catholic priest Fr. Antonius Benny Susetyo, said that building permits should only be required for public and permanent places of worship. “Places of worship that are used on a limited basis should not need permits, such as chapels in convents or prayer rooms in family homes.”
Since the passage of this “religious harmony” decree – presented by lawmakers as a long-term solution to religious conflict – more than 1,000 Christian churches in Indonesia have been closed. However, the number of mosques has increased from 243,000 in 2010 to 550,000 in 2020, according to data from the Ministry of Religion.
With information from Ucanews.
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Compiled by Florence MacDonald
