In the West Pasaman district of the Indonesian province of West Sumatra, which is heavily dominated by extremist Islamists, some local groups in collaboration with government officials have launched a violent campaign against Christians in the area. This strategy is the same as the Suharto regime (1967-1998) used: they stir up ethnic and confessional divisions to distract the people from the real issues, including people's rights, development policies and a serious and effective fight against corruption. Meanwhile, the Bishop of Padang is concerned about the growing hostility towards Christians and tries to mediate by maintaining good relations with the different groups, including the moderate Muslims.
The wave of 'Christianophobia' is reaching worrying proportions and recently there has been an increase in the number of demonstrations in public squares. On November 19, a crowd marched through the streets of West Pasaman to demonstrate against the "increased presence of Christian schools" in the region. Leaders and members of extremist Islamist groups led the demonstration, shouting slogans and insults against schools, churches and shops owned by Christians.
Among the many banners seen in the demonstration was one reminding people that it is "morally obligatory for Muslim parents not to send their children to school in Christian institutions". Another poster called for the closure of "Christian cafes and shops". It is now feared that this campaign of hate and division of society will evolve in a darker, more violent direction.
Among the targets of the protests was one in West Pasaman, and as a result, the leaders of the church have decided to postpone their work to renovate and expand the church to avoid further tensions. One of the reasons for the attack on the building is the alleged lack of a building permit - the so-called Izin Mendirikan Bangunan (IMB) - which is a commonly used excuse to delay Christian construction projects such as centers and churches in Indonesia. A pastor from the area said that all procedures have been followed to obtain the building permit, but that the authorities are working against it.
The province of West Sumatra is the province with the highest percentage of Muslims in the population after Aceh, which is the only province where Shariah law is in place. There are also many similarities between the two, including guidelines and practices inspired by Islam and the Quran. In West Sumatra, there have also been attacks on political leaders associated with the minorities, including last year when a Supri leader was attacked for "Christianizing" the area. Stones were thrown at his house and he was repeatedly threatened by extremists who ordered him to convert and repent to the faith of Muhammad. Supri commented dryly: "I will never change my faith".
Source: AsiaNews
