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RI observes peaceful Xmas
In high spirits: Two persons play music in the flooded Protestant Church of Indonesia (GPIB) in Bandung regency, West Java, after attending Christmas services on Wednesday night
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span class="caption">In high spirits: Two persons play music in the flooded Protestant Church of Indonesia (GPIB) in Bandung regency, West Java, after attending Christmas services on Wednesday night. At least 80 families attended the services on Wednesday night despite severe floods in the area. Antara/Novrian Arbi
The country observed a peaceful Christmas on Thursday, which was marked by an unusually large number of Muslim government officials publicly sending 'Merry Christmas' wishes to Christians nationwide, a move that many see as controversial in a country with the most Muslims in the world.
One of the high-profile officials who wished Christians a 'Merry Christmas' was Religious Affairs Minister Lukman Hakim Saifuddin, who has been praised for his progressive stances on many issues, particularly on the rights of religious minorities.
'For joyful Christians, Merry Christmas. May peace be on Earth. May it fill your hearts with peace. May we continue to live in harmony and love,' Lukman said from his Twitter handle @lukmansaifuddin on Thursday morning.
The statement got more than 1,000 retweets, with many Twitter users adding comments to praise the minister.
Lukman also posted the statement on the ministry's official website, kemenag.go.id.
Muslim scholars have long been debating the controversy of wishing a Merry Christmas to Christians. Hard-line Muslims believe that making the wish could be interpreted as believing that Jesus was a divine being and not just a prophet, a violation of a basic tenet of Islam.
On Tuesday, the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) announced that Muslims were allowed to greet their fellow Christians with a Merry Christmas, a gesture meant to boost religious harmony in the country.
Yet, at around 1:36 p.m., or seven hours after he delivered his Christmas greeting, Lukman posted an apology to Muslims who had lambasted him for sending the wish.
'[I] apologize to my Muslim brothers who feel uncomfortable,' he said.
Many later defended Lukman by saying that as the religious affairs minister, Lukman oversaw all religions, not only Islam.
Vice President Jusuf Kalla also sent his Christmas greetings on Thursday morning. 'To all Christians wherever you are, Merry Christmas. May Christmas bring peace and joy to all of us,' said Kalla on his Twitter account @Pak_JK.
President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo, who is scheduled to arrive in Ja-yapura, Papua, on Dec. 27 and will give a speech to open this year's national Christmas celebrations in Papua Bangkit Square at Sentani Airport, Jayapura, also used social media to give his Christmas greeting.
'To my Christian brothers and sisters who are celebrating Christmas, I wish you Merry Christmas. May Christmas brings peace, peace in heaven, peace on Earth and peace in the heart,' Jokowi said through his Facebook account.
Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Tedjo Edhy Purdijatno said the Papua Police and the Indonesian Military (TNI) would tighten security during Jokowi's visit, reacting to calls from a number of church leaders in Papua for the President to cancel his trip.
The church leaders expressed their dismay toward the government's slow response to the recent shooting incident in Enarotali, Paniai, in which five civilians were killed.
Also in Jakarta, Home Minister Tjahjo Kumolo, who paid a visit to the Jakarta Cathedral on Thursday to monitor the Christmas Mass, was given the opportunity to give a speech and wish a Merry Christmas from the pulpit.
'On behalf of the government, we wish you a Merry Christmas,' Tjahjo said. 'Starting last night [Christmas Eve], the government and the state are present [to uphold religious freedom in the country].'
Christmas celebrations proceeded peacefully in large parts of the country where churches have in the past often become targets of hard-line groups on the days prior to the celebration of Christmas.
'[So far, the situation across the country is] safe and sound,' National Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Agus Rianto said on Thursday.
Police beefed up security across the country during Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, particularly in provinces where many Christian Indonesians live and where they are vulnerable to security threats, such as West Java, South Sulawesi and Sumatra.
National Police chief Gen. Sutarman said earlier that based on intelligence information police had gathered, there was very little chance that terrorists would launch attacks during Christmas or New Year's Eve.
