K

upang Mayor Daniel Adoe has decided to temporarily halt the construction of the Nur Musofir mosque in Batuplat subdistrict, Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), following public outcry to verify letters of support for its construction from local residents.

“The temporary stoppage is in the framework of responding to people’s demands and to seek a solution over the dispute between the mosque building committee and local residents,” said Daniel after a meeting with Gereja Masehi Injili in Timor (GMIT) synod head Rev. Eben Nuban Timo and the Kupang Religious Community Harmony Forum (FKUB) members in Kupang on Monday.

Hundreds of people rallied outside the meeting and criticized the mayor, who had made a one-sided policy and issued the building permit without heeding their aspirations.

“The community in Kupang is very tolerant. The mayor should have opened room for dialogue from the beginning to seek a solution together, not lay the cornerstone of the mosque secretly,” said Kupang GMKI head Jhon Liem.

Jhon said the abduction of a Kupang GMKI member by a number of men in masks late Monday was part of a plot to incite public unrest. “The abductors released the activist a few hours later, but seized his flash disk and cell phone SIM card. They asked why he had objected to the mosque construction and threatened to kill activists in Kupang,” he said.

Residents said 19 of the 65 people on the support list claimed they had never signed the support letters.

“The rest claim they were cheated, saying they were promised they would receive sacrificial meat,”
a protester said.

According to Daniel, the mosque was originally to be located in a residential area, but due to protests from local residents it was moved to another location that was granted by the government.

Rev. Eben said constructing a house of worship was every citizen’s right, as long as it complied with existing rules. “If manipulations are found, it should be canceled and those who attempted to incite the situation must face justice,” he said.

Indonesia Ulema Council NTT chapter head Abdul Kadir Makarim said the construction was in line with procedures because it had obtained a permit from the government and recommendation from the Kupang FKUB. “Let’s create a favorable atmosphere. Don’t follow other provinces, which are always subject to commotion whenever a house of worship is being built.”