The raid was part of a Jombang government project to retrieve dozens of shops they claimed at a business area in the Weru area of Mojongapit village, East Java Province.

Pastor Soesanto runs the Good God Church. He had purchased the shop building and tried to extend the rights certificate, but officials denied his request. They demanded him to back-pay rent, despite the fact that he owned the property and paid land and building taxes. The building developer failed to disclose to the congregation the government plans to take over the area. Instead, he asked Pastor Soesanto to pay more money. 

Pastor Soesanto described the terrible experience, in which he suffered several bruises and was threatened to be imprisoned: “I was harassed and dragged by a mob that I estimated was about 50 people. What was disappointing was those people who closed my church were my friends. This is the anarchic act that embarrasses the city of Jombang. The city of Jombang is wise. But the regent’s actions are violent and anarchic. I never imagined the violence that government officials made, causing upset among the congregation.”

In regard to sealing the church, he added: “What is the government’s attitude towards religious tolerance if the church is closed now? I ask for the wisdom of the Jombang Regency government. What will happen to our congregation?”

A government official stated in an interview: “What is clear is that we secured the place. We secured the shop-house assets. If it is used as a place of worship, then it is automatically beyond our power. That is a shop-house for business. We consider it as a shop-house. We did not consider it the place of worship.”

The Anti-Discrimination Islamic Network correspondent asked the local government to help find a new place of worship. According to Aan Anshori, the Coordinator of the East Java Anti-Discrimination Islamic Network, authorities will offer a temporary place of worship until the congregation can find a suitable building.  

Source: https://morningstarnews.org/