A protest in Indonesia’s West Java province has raised fresh concerns over religious freedom, after hundreds of local residents objected to the construction of a church that had already received full legal approval.
The demonstration took place on 5 July in Kalibaru village, in Depok City’s Cilodong District. Video footage shared by local media shows protestors displaying large banners with messages such as, “We strongly reject the construction of the church,” at the site of the Studio Alam Batak Kato Protestant Church.
Although church leaders say they followed all legal procedures and consulted local authorities, community figures have claimed they were not properly informed. The head of the Community Empowerment Body, Rudi Ardiansyah, told local press that residents had not been invited to discussions, despite the church securing its building permit earlier this year.
“The plan to build a church has been around for a long time, but there has never been any information dissemination to the community,” he said. “Suddenly, permits were issued without approval from the residents, so they rejected the project.”
Church representatives have offered a different account. Pastor Zetsplayrs Tarigan stated that approval had been obtained from more than 60 percent of residents and that meetings were held with various local officials. He said the church had received a building permit on 4 March and had also secured a recommendation from the Interfaith Cooperation Forum (FKUB), a body responsible for reviewing religious building applications.
Based on this support, the church went ahead with construction and held a groundbreaking ceremony on 3 July. The agreement also required the church to provide infrastructure for the local community, including sanitation, a public road, and access to the building for shared use.
Despite these efforts, protests still took place, leading many Christians online to question the real motive behind the opposition. One widely shared post on social media suggested the issue went beyond administrative concerns. “There’s already a permit in place. Yet there are still protests,” the user wrote. “This indicates that the issue is not about permits, but something deeper, a doctrine of Christian phobia.”
The user went on to say that intolerance often hides behind claims of miscommunication. “Even with a permit, there are efforts to stop construction. Let’s call this what it is: intolerance.”
In recent years, some areas of Indonesian society have adopted a more conservative Islamic identity, and churches, particularly those involved in outreach, have faced growing pressure. According to Open Doors, Christian communities in Indonesia remain vulnerable to discrimination and interference, especially when attempting to establish places of worship.
While Indonesia officially recognises freedom of religion, incidents like this continue to challenge the ability of churches to operate openly, even when acting within the law.
Adapted from reporting by Morning Star News.
