Islamist groups and two government officials are trying to stop construction of a Protestant church in Cilegon on western Java Island in Indonesia.
The groups, along with the Cilegon mayor and his deputy, seek to block construction of Maranatha Church, whose congregation is part of the Protestant Christian Batak Church, stated Morning Star News.
Quoting media source Detik.com, Morning Star reports the mayor and deputy signed a petition to block the construction project after opposition groups demonstrated in September.
Jerry Sumampow of the Communion of Churches in Indonesia and Abd Rohim Ghazali of the Maarif Institute for Culture and Humanity in Jakarta said involvement by the mayor and his deputy violates constitutionally-protected rights of religion and belief.
According to rights advocates, the burdensome process for obtaining permits to construct a house of worship limits the ability of Christians and other faiths to build such a structure, Morning Star News reported.
Indonesia is No. 28 on Open Doors’ 2022 World Watch List of places most difficult to be a Christian.
