03/22/2020 Indonesia (International Christian Concern) – The lawsuit against the construction of a renovated building for the St Joseph Catholic Church in Karimun, Riau Islands, was officially revoked in the State Administrative Court (PTUN) by the plaintiff.
The withdrawal of the lawsuit was attended by both parties – the church and the and the Karimun Care Action (APK). Revocation was declared valid and read out during the trial revocation by the chairman of the judicial panel of PTUN Tanjung Pinang in Sekupang, Batam on March 18.
The APK coordinator, Hasyim Tugiran, stressed that his party filed a lawsuit through the PTUN court with respect to rejecting the building permit for the St. Joseph Church. It was not about renovation. There was a misunderstanding from APK, thinking that the church was going to build a brand new building.
The priest from the church, Father Kristiono Widodo, who was present at the hearing welcomed the withdrawal of the lawsuit by the APK.
“In the near future we will change the design of the building, of course this is still in talks internally, but we still refer to the agreement that other buildings stand three floors, while the church building remains one floor,” said Father Kristiono.
This case further shows how Christians face difficulties in Indonesia if and when they want to build/rebuild their churches. Local radical Muslims often object and protest against the construction, at times even filing lawsuits.
