Christians face proselytism charges in Indonesia
-25/07/05
Three evangelical women in Indonesia are facing charges which could to prison for allegedly contravening a law against ìChristianisationî. They have been accused by a chapter of the Indonesian Council of Muslim Clerics of trying to get Muslim children to convert to Christianity through ìthe use of lies, deception or enticement.î
The case came to court last week amidst protests by 150 Muslim activists. According to the London Times, it is said that the women were teaching lessons in reading and writing to mixed classes of Christian and Muslim children, taking them on trips to parks and swimming pools, and rewarding them with treats such as pencils for memorising Christian prayers and Bible verses.
A number of the alleged offences took place at a special ëHappy Weekí earlier this year, although the lessons began in 2003. Rebekka Zakaria, Ratna Mala Bangun and Ety Pangesti say that the Muslim children were friends of Christian youngsters and were attending the classes with the agreement of their parents. No attempts were made to convert them, they claim.
The women have been remanded in custody since May 2005 and could face up to five years in prison if found guilty. They belong to the Church of Davidís Camp in Haurgelis, a strongly Muslim area of West Java where only 2 per cent of the population is Christian.
Senior Christians believe that the charge is politically motivated. They say that while many Muslims are tolerant, a hard-line minority wish to implement Sharia law in the region and are using such accusations to incite others into backing their cause.
According to human rights groups up to 10,000 Christians were killed in Indonesia between 1998 and 2003 and about 1,000 churches were burned down by Muslim mobs. There have also been counter accusations.
Religious conflict has eased in recent years, although many churches allege harassment or closure in West Java. Radical groups such as Laskar Jihad and Jemaah Islamiyah want a separate Islamic state in the region, and they have attacked Christian churches and villages.
In April last year shootings of Christians were reported in the Poso Pesisir district on Sulawesi. In May 2004, the World Council of Churches called on the Indonesian government to put an end to religious violence between Muslims and Christians in the Malukus. And in December 2004, the Indonesian President called for all religions to be a force of peace against terrorism, and for religious tolerance to be promulgated.
Indonesia has a population of 21 million. 88 per cent are Muslim, 8 per cent Christian, 2 per cent Hindu and 1 per cent Buddhist.
Christians face proselytism charges in Indonesia
-25/07/05
Three evangelical women in Indonesia are facing charges which could to prison for allegedly contravening a law against ‘Christianisation’. They have been accused by a chapter of the Indonesian Council of Muslim Clerics of trying to get Muslim children to convert to Christianity through ‘the use of lies, deception or enticement.’
The case came to court last week amidst protests by 150 Muslim activists. According to the London Times, it is said that the women were teaching lessons in reading and writing to mixed classes of Christian and Muslim children, taking them on trips to parks and swimming pools, and rewarding them with treats such as pencils for memorising Christian prayers and Bible verses.
A number of the alleged offences took place at a special ëHappy Week’ earlier this year, although the lessons began in 2003. Rebekka Zakaria, Ratna Mala Bangun and Ety Pangesti say that the Muslim children were friends of Christian youngsters and were attending the classes with the agreement of their parents. No attempts were made to convert them, they claim.
The women have been remanded in custody since May 2005 and could face up to five years in prison if found guilty. They belong to the Church of David’s Camp in Haurgelis, a strongly Muslim area of West Java where only 2 per cent of the population is Christian.
Senior Christians believe that the charge is politically motivated. They say that while many Muslims are tolerant, a hard-line minority wish to implement Sharia law in the region and are using such accusations to incite others into backing their cause.
According to human rights groups up to 10,000 Christians were killed in Indonesia between 1998 and 2003 and about 1,000 churches were burned down by Muslim mobs. There have also been counter accusations.
Religious conflict has eased in recent years, although many churches allege harassment or closure in West Java. Radical groups such as Laskar Jihad and Jemaah Islamiyah want a separate Islamic state in the region, and they have attacked Christian churches and villages.
In April last year shootings of Christians were reported in the Poso Pesisir district on Sulawesi. In May 2004, the World Council of Churches called on the Indonesian government to put an end to religious violence between Muslims and Christians in the Malukus. And in December 2004, the Indonesian President called for all religions to be a force of peace against terrorism, and for religious tolerance to be promulgated.
Indonesia has a population of 21 million. 88 per cent are Muslim, 8 per cent Christian, 2 per cent Hindu and 1 per cent Buddhist.