The construction of a Catholic Church in Indonesia’s West Kalimantan province started after Muslim-dominant local groups withdrew their objection to it thanks to state-backed conflict resolution efforts.
The ceremony to mark the formal start of construction for Saints Peter and Paul Church at Kapur village, Sungai Raya subdistrict, was held on Aug. 6.
Sujiwo, a Muslim and regent (chief) of Kubu Raya district who played an important role in the dispute resolution, attended the program.
He laid the first stone during the groundbreaking ceremony and said the construction was a result of a long process that involved the Church committee, Catholics and local authorities.
“I congratulate the committee and all the faithful who have gone through a long process until construction could finally begin,” he said.
He said he had met the village head and local neighborhood leaders before the groundbreaking.
“They have a good understanding of national values. I thank the people of Kapur village for supporting this project, and together we will oversee the church’s construction until it is completed,” he said.
Sujiwo said his support for the Church was part of his duty to uphold religious freedom under Indonesia’s state ideology, Pancasila, and the 1945 Constitution.
Pancasila stands for five principles — Belief in the One and Only God; Just and Civilized Humanity; The Unity of Indonesia; Democracy Guided by Inner Wisdom in Deliberation/Representation; and Social Justice for All Indonesian People.
Indonesia’s Constitution guarantees every citizen the freedom to embrace a religion and worship according to their faith, he said.
He added that the local government would support the construction of houses of worship, including through regional budget allocations where possible.
Father Donatus Jensi, parish priest of St. Augustine Parish in Sungai Raya, told UCA News that the local Catholic community welcomed the regent’s support for the long-awaited project.
“We are very grateful because the regent has always paid attention to all houses of worship without discrimination. His presence encourages us to realize the construction of this church,” said the priest, a member of the Congregation of the Disciples of the Lord.
Church construction committee head Stivenes Tjin Siam said the church would be built on a 4,373-square-meter plot, with the building covering 3,528 square meters. The building is designed to accommodate up to 1,200 people, he added.
The church is designed to accommodate about 1,000 people for regular services and up to 1,200 during major religious celebrations, he said.
The Church construction project stalled after 10 neighborhood associations signed a letter on July 8 last year and urged the village head not to issue a permit for the Church, sparking widespread controversy.
Regent Sujiwo intervened, met with local Catholics and Muslims, and termed it a result of miscommunication. He also said that objection to Church construction violates the constitutional right to freedom of religion.
About 87 percent of Indonesia’s estimated 287 million people are Muslims, according to official data. Christians make up about 10 percent, or about 30 million.
In West Kalimantan, 60 percent of about 5.6 million people are Muslims, and Christians make up about 34 percent.