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Bogor mayor: No Christmas service at GKI Yasmin

Jakarta Globe - December 22, 2014

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Vento Saudale, Bogor – The Bogor City administration confirmed on Monday that no Christmas service will be held this year at the beleaguered GKI Yasmin church.

Bogor Mayor Bima Arya Sugiarto said that the city had discussed the matter with GKI Pengadilan, the mother organization of GKI Yasmin, leading a spokesman for GKI Yasmin to accuse the administration of trying to sow discord.

"During Friday's meeting, the Bogor City administration and GKI Pengadilan agreed that there will be no Christmas service and celebration at GKI Yasmin church," Bima said on Monday at Bogor City Hall.

Bima added that it was GKI Pengadilan itself that had asked the GKI Yasmin congregation to join the service at GKI Pengadilan's church at Jalan Pengadilan in Bogor. "The congregation leader, Father Arif, and the members told us that there's no Christmas activities planned in GKI Yasmin," Bima said.

Bona Sigalingging, spokesman for the GKI Yasmin congregation, said that the meeting between the city administrators and GKI Pengadilan was intended to sow discard and eventually disband GKI Yasmin. "Bima should've met and talked to us instead of GKI Pengadilan," Bona said.

Meanwhile, Bima also called on the public to stop connecting the closure of the church – after protests by hard-line Muslim groups and despite court rulings – with the issue of religious freedom, as he said the city had done its best to allow people to conduct their religious activities freely.

"I ask you not to see this case as a violation of religious freedom," he said. "Bogor is not an intolerant city."

GKI Yasmin obtained a permit to open the church in 2006, but the permit was revoked by the municipal government after pressure from hard-line Islamic groups. The building consequently was sealed by local authorities in 2010.

Mayor Bima said this month he would not carry out a Supreme Court order to reopen the church, citing unspecified "strong reasons" for flouting the verdict from the highest court in the land.

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/bogor-mayor-christmas-service-gki-yasmin/.