Local officials in Koja district pressured pastor Syaiful Hamzah and his wife Tiolida Sihotang to end his Christian activities at a meeting on September 12, which was also attended by police officers, and representatives from the local mosque, reported Christian news agency Compass Direct News.
Officials reportedly urged Hamzah and his wife to sign a document agreeing to cease all worship services in their home, although they received permission from Indonesian Religious Affairs officials.
A Muslim cleric, identified as Wasi Sholeh, apparently told Hamzah that "certain people" had made violent threats against him, and that he could not guarantee Hamzah’s safety if he refused to sign the accord. The couple allegedly signed the document under duress.
GROWING PRESSURE
The incident comes amid growing pressure on active Christians in Indonesia, a predominantly Muslim country, according to church observers.
Among the most serious incidents earlier this year a mainly Christian village in a remote area of Indonesia, was destroyed by Muslim. Four Christians died, including an 84-year old man and a six-year-old girl, and dozens others were injured when a Muslim mob attacked Horale village in Maluku province in May, Christian rights investigators said.
And, last month security officials reportedly threw stones at officers of the Indonesian Christian Students’ Movement and its parent ministry, the Alliance of Indonesian Churches, damaging doors, windows and student motorbikes. Young Christians were forced to flee to a nearby office of the Indonesia Bible Institute, but policemen standing nearby on the street made no attempt to intervene, Christians said.
