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GKI Yasmin congregation anxious over relocation plan
For the sake of pluralism: A press conference with (left to right) respresentative of rights group Setara Institute Bonar Tigor Naipospos, spokesperson of the GKI Yasmin congregation Bona Sigalingging and representative of Aliansi Nasional Bhineka Tunggal Ika (National Alliance of Unity in Diversity) Ellen Emi Pitoi
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For the sake of pluralism: A press conference with (left to right) respresentative of rights group Setara Institute Bonar Tigor Naipospos, spokesperson of the GKI Yasmin congregation Bona Sigalingging and representative of Aliansi Nasional Bhineka Tunggal Ika (National Alliance of Unity in Diversity) Ellen Emi Pitoi. The three organizations are urging Bogor City Administration not to relocate GKI Yasmin congregation.(JP/Wendra Ajistyatama) (left to right) respresentative of rights group Setara Institute Bonar Tigor Naipospos, spokesperson of the GKI Yasmin congregation Bona Sigalingging and representative of Aliansi Nasional Bhineka Tunggal Ika (National Alliance of Unity in Diversity) Ellen Emi Pitoi. The three organizations are urging Bogor City Administration not to relocate GKI Yasmin congregation.(JP/Wendra Ajistyatama)
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span class="inline inline-center">For the sake of pluralism: A press conference with (left to right) respresentative of rights group Setara Institute Bonar Tigor Naipospos, spokesperson of the GKI Yasmin congregation Bona Sigalingging and representative of Aliansi Nasional Bhineka Tunggal Ika (National Alliance of Unity in Diversity) Ellen Emi Pitoi. The three organizations are urging Bogor City Administration not to relocate GKI Yasmin congregation.(JP/Wendra Ajistyatama)
The struggles of the Indonesian Christian Church (GKI) Yasmin congregation in Bogor, West Java, to defend their house of worship has faced yet another turn of the screw as church parishioners said that they had received information that the Bogor city administration would relocate their church in the near future.
This is not the first time the Bogor administration has planned to relocate the church.
The church's spokesman, Bona Sigalingging, said Wednesday that by relocating GKI Yasmin, the city administration demonstrated its lack of respect toward pluralism in the country and that such a position would only lead to deeper religious segmentation in the country.
'We received information in October that the city administration would proceed with the relocation plan. It is a very dangerous step because it shows they don't support religious pluralism,' Bona told The Jakarta Post.
The rift surrounding GKI Yasmin started when the Bogor city administration issued a decree freezing the church's building permit (IMB) in February 2008 in response to Islamic opposition.
Rulings from the Bandung State Administrative Court (PTUN) and a ruling from State Administrative High Court in Jakarta ordered the administration to revoke the decree but the Bogor administration simply rejected the judicial rulings and sealed up the church building.
In 2010, the Supreme Court granted GKI Yasmin's petition and ordered the Bogor City administration to revoke the decree freezing the IMB. Subsequently, then Bogor Mayor Diani Budiarto complied with the ruling by revoking the decree. However, three days later, Diani revoked the IMB instead, thus leaving the church without any kind of permit altogether.
In 2012, the church's members started holding their services in front of the Presidential Palace every two weeks as a form of protest.
The current Bogor mayor Bima Arya has insisted on relocating the church, saying that it was the best solution for the parishioners. However, Bona and his congregation firmly opposed the plan and demanded that the administration respect the church's rights.
According to Bona, three areas have been prepared by the Bogor administration as possible relocation sites: the Kayu Manis area, Jl. Dr. Sumeru and the Bubulak area.
'The problem will not only stop there. If, let's say, we agree with the relocation plan, who can ensure that another intolerant group will not disturb us in the new place. It's like solving a problem with a new problem,' Bona continued.
Bona went on to say that the church congregation had openly opposed the relocation plan. The church's chorus of rejection, however, has fallen on deaf ears. He added that relocating GKI Yasmin would act as a precedent for intolerance across the country. It would demonstrate that intolerant groups could oust minority groups in their area if they pushed with enough pressure.
Arif Maulana, a lawyer with the Jakarta Legal Aid Foundation (LBH Jakarta), said the Bogor administration should discuss any plan related to the GKI Yasmin with the congregation. He emphasized that no proper solution could be reached by making a policy without first hearing their aspirations.
'The congregation is the people who will be affected by the policy. Leaving them out of the loop is the same as denying their rights,' Arif said.
He added that he hoped the Bogor Administration would grant the congregation's wish to hold Christmas services at their church.
Meanwhile, Arya did not deny the relocation plan, saying that he was currently in communication with GKI Pengadilan, Yasmin's umbrella church, to find the best solution for the problem.
Bima said that every solution was being considered, including the relocation plan as long as it could prevent further problems between the church congregation and local residents.
'I want to make the best solution and since the beginning of my term I have pledged that I would provide an adequate new place for Yasmin's congregation,' Bima told the Post.
