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ct. 18, p2

Residents of Jatisampurna subdistrict, Jatisampurna district, had filed a lawsuit against Bekasi Mayor Rahmat Effendi for issuing a building permit for the construction of the St. Stanislaus Kostka Catholic church in the Kranggan area.

The lawsuit was read by presiding judge Edi Firmansyah in a court hearing at the Bandung State Administrative Court on Thursday.

The plaintiffs urged the judges to suspend the church'€™s construction as the permit was still being processed in court. They also urged the panel of judges to order the mayor to revoke the permit.

The lawyer for the plaintiffs, Achmad Ardiansyah from the Indonesian Muslim Legal Aid Institute, expressed hope the judges would grant the petition.

Your comments:

All religions teach tolerance and peace. Islam (in my opinion) is the only one I see in Indonesia that doesn'€™t practice it.

Because government is incompetent to govern its people, it leaves permit issues to people with the expectation it can naturally find a way out while the constitution guarantees the right that every single citizen is free to practice their religion including having a place to worship.

Ucok

This is a very sad thing for both Indonesia and its people.

Supposedly under the democratic rule we retain the basic right to choose our own religion, providing it doesn'€™t endanger the safety and security of others.

Effectively this should not be about Islam and Christianity at all, but simply to allow the people their basic right to freedom of choice.

Given the clarity of this situation, the applicants should lose their case, be forced by the courts to pay all the church'€™s legal and court costs, plus any reasonable out of pocket expenses.

In this instance, I am sure the church would be able to seek their resolve and compensate using the law by way of '€œliquidator damages'€ however, in saying that, I am sure the church'€™s position would simply be to seek a quiet and peaceful resolution and get on with their project digressed from becoming involved in childish practices which is exactly what the plaintiff is doing here.

Whatever happened to '€œlive and let live'€ and try to live in peace and harmony with respect for each other and their beliefs?

Bay

I guess it wouldn'€™t be too surprising to find '€œirregularities'€ such as '€œoffering residents food and gifts'€ to '€œpromote inter-religious harmony'€ at the community level.

What I don'€™t understand is, given that such '€œirregularities'€ are pretty much a '€œregular occurrence'€ in Indonesian politics, wouldn'€™t targeting your opponents'€™ '€œmisconducts'€ encourage them to use the same tactic against you?

Are we going to see religious minorities using legal instruments to obstruct mosque building permits? I am pretty sure that they also have their ways of sweetening their deals.

Magpie

Interesting, the lawyer is from an organization that protects the FPI and other organizations.  

Interesting that as per usual the radical Muslims fear and cower at buildings and other religions.  If it wasn'€™t so sad it would be amusing.

Deddy K

I'€™m not blaming all Muslims but I'€™m sorry guys, you are as much to blame for sitting and hiding while these mad men are allowed to run rampant.

Are these the people to want representing your religion?

InSanctus

This is where President SBY as the president and protector of all Indonesians, irrespective of race, color and religion is extremely weak and ineffective!

The president is just afraid. Nothing like this would happen under Presidents Sukarno, Soeharto, J.B. Habibie, Gus Dur or Megawati.

Malam