In the past two months, extremist intolerance towards religious minorities has increased. Various attacks against Christians have touched the Batak Christian Protestant Church (HKBP) in Bekasi and the Yasmin Church in Bogor

Members of the Islamic Defender Front (FPI) have forced the closure of Christian places of worship and stopped open-air religious functions.

The government organised yesterday’s meeting in order to meet complaints by civil society groups against President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and his administration, sharply criticised for doing nothing to improve the situation.

Police chief General Danuri said he would “punish any police officer who has not done his best performance in handling such sensitive issues doing nothing when these hard-line rioters attack other people in the name of religion.”

For him, the Betawi Brotherhood Forum (FBR), the FPI and the Betawi Youth Group are responsible for at least 107 violence acts between 2007 and 2010. “Any idea of sanctioning these violent groups or freezing their existence,” said General Danuri, “should be supported.”

However, the Law on Mass Organisations of 1995 does not stipulate any sanctions. For this reason, some lawmakers would like to see it reviewed or abolished.

Members of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP), an opposition nationalist party, have called for a repeal of all decrees that force Christians to apply for a permit from civilian authorities to build a church.

Religious Affairs Minister Suryadharma Ali rejected the demand that would guarantee real freedom of religion, claiming that without such decrees attacks against minorities would increase.