ICC NOTE: Indonesia has a difficult path for Christians to garner the proper building permits as they are required to gain the approval of the inter faith dialogue group and 60 signatures from local residents. Due to the stringent rules placed upon Christian congregations, the percentage is very low in gaining the proper amount of signatures. The St. Clara parish was able to get the proper permits to construct a building which they have been fighting for since 1999. Even though they are within their legal right to do so, Islamic extremists have returned to protest the construction of the church. The congregation merely wishes to have their right to practice their faith freely which is protected under the Indonesian constitution. Yet here is a prime example of the daily struggle Christians face in a nation which considers itself to be tolerant. 

3/8/2016 Jakarta, Indonesia (Asia News) – Hundreds of Islamic extremists (pictured) took to the streets today in North Bekasi District, West Java Province, to protest against a permanent church for the local Catholic community.

For the past 17 years, the St Clara parish and its members have been embroiled in a fight to have their religious rights recognised. In late July last year, the parish obtained the required building permit*.

Islamist groups had reacted to that by organising protests against the “permanent church”, but since then, the situation had quieted down, until today when tensions flared up again.

The St Clara community has existed since 1999 even though it has never had its own church. For years, Catholics took part in Sunday Mass and on other occasions, first at one, then at two separate locations because of the growing membership.

However, one of the two locations was no longer available last year. The community was thus left with a small building with room for 300 people in a commercial area.

Eman Dapaloka, a local Catholic and former seminarian, said that four celebrations are held every weekend to meet the needs of the St Clara congregation, which includes some 1,900 households or 7,000 people. In view of the limited space, many members have to travel to other neighbourhoods to attend Mass.

In the past, the need for a permanent place of worship has come up against local authorities and extremist groups. Complicating matters, getting a building permit is a long process in Indonesia, and can take up to ten years.

For Christians, both Catholics and Protestants, the whole thing is even more difficult because they need the backing of the local interfaith dialogue group and the signatures of at least 60 residents from the area where they plan to build a church.

Often local officials come up with “unspecified reasons” to block plans under pressure from radical Islamic movements. When the authorities do issue a building permit for Christians, extremists took to the streets to protest.

In an incident last year, demonstrators tried to tear down some sign posts on the site of the future church, but were stopped by police before they could cause any damage. Outside though, they spray-painted a graffiti that read ‘No church construction allowed’.

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