ICC Note: The GKI Yasmin Church of Bogor, Indonesia was forced closed more than three years ago after radical Muslims led an aggressive campaign to force the church out of it’s home. The local government caved to the pressure and sealed off the church building. Despite two rulings by the Supreme Court of Indonesia that the church has a right to operate, the local government continues to refuse to reopen the church. The forced closure of churches is an issue across Indonesia as radical Islamic groups, most commonly the Islamic Defenders Front, harass and intimidate congregations in certain areas. 

4/17/2014 Indonesia (Jakarta Globe) – The recently inaugurated mayor of Bogor, Bima Arya, has pledged to resolve a longstanding dispute surrounding GKI Yasmin, a protestant congregation that was exiled from its own church following a campaign by local Muslim hard-liners in 2010.

The congregation has worshipped in makeshift spaces ever since, despite two Supreme Court rulings in its favor.

“I’m optimistic we will reach an agreement to solve this problem and achieve finality,” Bima said on Thursday, after meeting with Albert Hasibuan, an adviser to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Bima said he would prioritize communication between all sides to resolve the problem.

“I will communicate with all parties to get all the information in order to reach a decision,” he said, adding that he would not be afraid to take on the hard-liners. “Difference [of opinion] is part of a dynamic democracy — I’m sure the disagreement will be solved if we sit together.”

The homeless congregation, which identifies itself as Calvinist, has held prayers outside the State Palace to protest what they have called is a lack of action by the president.

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