West Java Christmas – Will Police Give Church The Gift of Freedom?

For the long-persecuted Protestants of West Java, it just might be that this year they’ll get the best-ever Christmas gift – from Indonesia’s National Police. 

==================================

• 
• ———————————-

• Their sectarian persecutors have refused to comply with the country’s Supreme Court decree that the GKI Yasmin enjoy the right to worship in their church. It was sealed by the bigot Mayor Diani several years ago – his successor, the so-called ‘moderate’ Bima, just recently declared his own craven refusal to obey the law.
• ——–

But now, with a pro-tolerance president in power, these victims of jihadist bullying have made an official request to the National Police that their worship be protected just the same as every other church in Indonesia.

pppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp

•  Jayadi

—

The GKI spokesman, Jayadi, said he hoped that this year’s Christmas and New Year festivities would be different and the worshippers would remain safe during their holy day. “We would like to conduct services on our own land. When can we stop conducting services outside the Presidential Palace?” he said. 

———————–

• 
• ————————————–

• I’ve often been along to those open-air services, hot sweltering days and rainy ones too, a small but cheerfully determined congregation, singing hymns and praying for justice. Sometimes even some of the cops on duty join in the sacred songs. 

But will the senior police now do their duty and enforce the high court ruling?
Jayadi added that the police recommended that GKI Yasmin also send a letter to their local police precinct to remind them of their obligations to protect civilians. http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/12/18/bogor-church-seeks-police-protection-christmas.html

West Java Police have never shown much interest in doing any more than umpiring between GARIS Islamist hoodlums and their intended prey.

ii

ii

But National Police Chief Sutarman may take another view.

The Police will be on guard at every place of worship of Christians on Christmas night. One of them is the Indonesian Christian Church (GKI) Yasmin located in Bogor, West Java. “Police will provide protection, because it is a task related to the security police,” said Police Chief Police General Sutarman in Central Park, West Jakarta, Friday (12/19/2014).

Sutarman did advise the GKI to approach Bogor re their certificates, but –

“No more intimidation and anarchy again,” he concluded.  http://metro.sindonews.com/read/93970431/polri-amankan-natal-di-gki-yasmin-1418990413

Fingers crossed!