Building of kids´ home stops after Muslim protests

The construction of a Church-run home for disabled children in East Java has stopped after Muslims voiced fears that it could be a front for proselytization.

Father Laurentius Heru Susanto, vicar general of Malang diocese told UCA News that he regretted the local government´s decision of withdrawing the permit given to a Catholic foundation to build the home.

On June 19, Eddy Rumpoko, mayor of Batu, revoked the permit for the facility which was being built on a five-hectare plot of land in Junrejo village. The previous day, about 1,000 Muslims from dozens of organizations had protested in front of Malang city hall claiming the home was a front for proselytization.

“We really regret the action. The home was being built only to serve people. There was no other purpose,” Father Susanto said over the phone.

He pointed out that the home for disabled children under 16 years of age was to be run by the Bhakti Luhur (noble service) Foundation of the Association of the Institute for Lay Missioners (ALMA).

The foundation serves poor, disabled people “who are not served by other institutions,” said the priest. “Its mission is purely humanitarian.”

Father Susanto said his diocese would assist ALMA members in advocacy efforts “because they are now feeling afraid after the Muslim protests.”

Media reports say people living in Junrejo had protested the building of the home since October when construction began. According to villagers, the foundation had promised to provide details about the project to them before construction work began, but did not do so.

UCA News contacted the ALMA office in Malang but staff there declined to comment on the issue. However, “Malang Post” newspaper quoted Yohanes Subasno, a member of Bhakti Luhur Foundation´s training and teaching staff, saying that the foundation had already clarified that the home aimed to provide a purely social service.

The foundation has 41 homes catering to about 700 children with special needs.

According to a report from the National Commission for Human Rights, there were 108 cases of forced closures of churches, and attacks on churches or destruction of church property in Indonesia, between 2004 and 2007.