T

he Sleman regency administration in Yogyakarta province has brokered a peace agreement between the heads of the El Shaddai Pentecostal Church and Muslim community leaders that result in the sealed church securing a building permit and reopening its doors in Pangukan, Sleman.

'€œPlease help us, so as residents we can still worship. All we want is to be able to perform our religious activity,'€ said church leader Nico Lomboan after signing the peace agreement with Pangukan community leader Turmudzi at Sleman Police station on Monday.

Nico also pointed out the central government and the Sleman regency administration were responsible for guaranteeing the church remain open, as its existence was allowed under a 2006 joint ministerial decree and had already been operating for some time.

At the signing '€” witnessed by lawyers from both sides, Sleman regency administration officials, a local neighborhood unit chief and members of the local Interfaith Communication Forum '€” Nico and Turmudzi shook hands with one another. '€œPeace is beautiful,'€ Turmudzi said briefly.

The fourth point of the agreement states that the Sleman regency administration is responsible for facilitating the building permit of the church in accordance with the law.

Sectarian strife began on July 1 when Nico and his followers conducted a Sunday service in the church, which was sealed by the Sleman administration in 2012 because it had not obtained the proper building permit.

Nico defended the action, saying they were forced to do so because additional rent costs at another location had made worshipping at that location unfeasible.

The action enraged local residents and hard-liners, who, led by Turmudzi, later that day hurled stones at the now-empty church. Police and military officers did nothing to stop the them.

'€œI apologize and hope to still be regarded as a Pangukan resident, because I have been holding a Pangukan identity card since 1991,'€ Nico said at the signing.

Turmudzi acknowledged his actions were wrong and apologized.

'€œWe have achieved clarity and peace, hopefully there will be wisdom,'€ he said.

Both promised not to repeat the same mistakes in the future and not to file a lawsuit against each other.

A member of Nico'€™s team of lawyers, Yanuar Nahak, said he expected the Sleman regency administration would help the church obtain the proper operating license.

'€œPerhaps a land exchange can become a solution. The Sleman administration can find the place and facilitate the building license,'€ said Yanuar.

Deyong, another of Nico'€™s attorneys, said a land exchange deal would be an effective way to resolve the issue. He added such a measure had been proven effective in Bali.

Meanwhile, Guntarwan Indar Wibowo, a member of Turmudzi'€™s legal team, said both parties had agreed to make peace and his client would respect the administration'€™s policy.

'€œIf the Sleman regency administration gives the green light to the El Shaddai Church, the people of Pangukan will respect it,'€ said Guntarwan.

He added that both sides would also meet the Sleman regency administration after the peace agreement.

Sleman Deputy Regent Yuni Satia Rahayu said her administration was willing to help resolve the licensing issue and was ready to facilitate a land exchange deal if it was part of the solution.

'€œThe community should accept the presence of a church or mosque, which are no different,'€ said Yuni.

She added the construction of all houses of worship should follow the right procedures and communicate with the local community. Yuni said her administration was also currently curbing the presence of a number of mosques in the regency.

'€œA majority of the mosques and small mosques in Sleman do not have building licenses,'€ said Yuni.