Fresh attack targets Indonesian Christians

A group of radical Islamists barged in and disrupted a church service on Sunday in West Java in the latest attack on Christians in Indonesia.

The radicals supposedly linked to the hard-line Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) attacked members of the Batak Christian Protestant Church (HKBP) in Pondok Timur as they were preparing to hold the Sunday service in a field.

According to Jakarta Globe, at least 20 members including the pastor were chased and beaten with sticks after they were surrounded and told to leave.

Rev Luspida Simanjuntak, the congregation's leader, told the daily that onlookers and police were watching while the Islamists cornered the members.

Luspida said the local municipality had earlier sealed the church and that this had caused constant difficulties to gather for their service.

Luspida appealed to the local government to allow her congregation to pray in peace. “Each time we pray, we are shadowed by terror. If we’re not allowed to worship in the field, give us a facility elsewhere,” she was quoted as saying.

The church has sought help from members of the National Commission for Human Rights, National Commission for Women and the House of Representatives.

Nur Kholis, a member of the National Commission for Human Rights, said that the problem had dragged on and that it was high time for the central government to step in.

The attack follows a similar incident last month in which a group of 500 Islamic extremists blocked Christians from the Huria Protestant Church while they were holding their Sunday service in a field.

The mob reportedly held the congregation hostage for an hour and forced them to sign a statement that stated they would not conduct worship in that area.