5 years in prison for allegedly converting Muslim children to Christianity, a leading human rights group reported Friday, July 15. UK-based Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), which has close contacts in the region, said the charges against Dr. Rebecca Laonita, Ratna Mala Bangun and Ety Pangesti stem from their involvement in a children’s holiday initiative called Happy Week in Haurgelis, West Java.
"The camp was organized for local Christian children but, with parental consent and supervision, Muslim children were also welcomed," CSW said in a statement obtained by BosNewsLife News Center.
SEVERAL PRAYERS
"The program consisted of opening and closing prayers, singing songs, practical tutoring in reading, writing and mathematics and trips to parks and swimming pools. The initiative proved so successful that it came to the attention of the local authorities."
CSW said that a case of "Christianization" was brought against the women by the local chapter of the Indonesian Council of Muslim Clerics (MUI) "who alleged that the women enticed Muslim children to participate" and that they tried to convert them to Christianity by giving them gifts.
"The women were arrested on May 13 despite the fact that all the children had full parental consent and that none of children had changed religion. Reportedly no complaints have been lodged by the children’s families [but] the women have been incarcerated in the Indramayu Prison up to now," CSW added.
MORE WEEKS
The organization said their trial began June 30, and is set to continue for several more weeks. However "the presence of over a hundred Mujahadeen militants at the court hearings and reports of extremists interfering with witnesses, have led observers to fear that a great injustice will be done," CSW explained.
"It seems that the militants hope to set a legal precedent from the Child Protection Laws of 2002 which would prevent Muslim children from attending Sunday schools or any Christian-led activities." But it also noted that "moderate Muslim leaders have spoken out in favor of the defendants with the former President of Indonesia, Abdurrahman Wahid asking for the case to be withdrawn."
Before the trial began at the West Java court, the women were staying "in a two-meter square room" at a police station in Indonesia’s Indramayu County, said Voice Of the Martyrs Canada (VOMC) earlier.
"FANTASY WORLD"
VOMC, which also investigates the plight of persecuted Christians, told BosNewsLife that its investigators learned from the women that they were summoned to the police station on May 3 and that charges were officially laid against them May 14 as "the result of a picnic which they led at Dufan or Fantasy World" theme park in Jakarta in December 2004.
"[The VOMC sources] report that the charges come from an incident involving the twelve year old daughter of a prostitute living near their church. The girl had been given a Bible and t-shirt at her request."
CSW said that the "case appears to be symptomatic of the growing influence of a radical Islamist agenda in the area and in Indonesia as a whole." It stressed that "at the local level, reportedly over 100 churches have been closed down or destroyed in West Java in the last five years."
NATIONAL POLITICIANS
Several high-ranking national politicians including the Head of Parliament, Hidayat Nur Wahid, are known to be sympathetic to the introduction of Shariah law in Indonesia, the organization said. Indonesian government officials were not immediately available for comment but have so far not intervened in the ongoing court case.
"For three women to be arrested, detained and charged for simply organizing a children’s holiday club in good faith illustrates how serious the situation for Christians in Indonesia is becoming. CSW urges the British government to raise this case with the Indonesian government," said CSW’s Advocacy Director, Tina Lambert.
Human rights watchers say that Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim nation, has long enjoyed a reputation for religious tolerance and freedom. While the majority of Indonesian Muslims "are moderate and respectful of minority faiths", the last few years "more extremist factions have continued to increase in influence in the political, military, legislative and religious fields," CSW claimed. (With BosNewsLife Research, Stefan J. Bos, BosNewsLife News Center and reports from Indonesia)
