Churches, temples shut down in Indonesia  BANDA ACEH: A Muslim Acehnese man rides a bicycle in front of the closed protestant church at Banda Aceh, capital of Aceh province yesterday. —AFP
JAKARTA: Authorities in Indonesia’s only province that uses Islamic sharia laws said yesterday they had closed some Christian places of worship and Buddhist temples following pressure from hardliners. The closures in Aceh, on the northern tip of Sumatra Island, came after complaints from the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI), and are the latest sign of growing religious intolerance in Muslim-majority Indonesia. Illiza Sa’aduddin Djamal, deputy mayor of provincial capital Banda Aceh where the closures took place, said the official reason was that the nine Christian sites and six Buddhist temples did not have permits. But she said that they were shut last week after complaints from the FPI and that “there had been some tension before we took a decision.” “We do not want any security trouble in Banda Aceh because of these illegal activities.” The FPI presents itself as an enforcer of morals and Islamic laws and sometimes accompanies police in some parts of the country on violent raids on bars and brothels. Nico Tarigan, who led Christian services at a two-storey house until its closure last week, said the FPI had attacked the building in June and sent text message threats. “What we’ve done was simply a religious activity. It’s only once a week and lasts not more than two hours,” he said. —AFP
Madey: isle dah menang ....... 
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Post time 24-10-2012 03:09 PM
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