PGI Surprised That The Minister Of Religion Of Yaqut Is Usually Responsive To The Church, But It Seems To Close Himself To The HKI Juanda Problem

Minister Of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas/DOK SPECIAL

JAKARTA - HKI Advocacy Coalition Juanda Depok held a meeting with the Chancellorate of the Indonesian International Islamic University (UIII) to discuss the issue of the Church which was threatened with being evicted because it stood on campus land. The meeting was facilitated by the Fellowship of Churches in Indonesia (PGI) with Gusdurian.

The HKI and PGI hope that Gusdurian can bridge the meeting with the Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas and former Vice President Jusuf Kalla always Chairman of the UIII Trustee Council. The reason is that the HKI and PGI have sent letters to the Ministry of Religion to the Presidential Staff regarding church issues, but there is no response.

In fact, the HKI and PGI have complained to the DPR. But these efforts have not received results.

Member of the PGI Justice & Peace Advocacy Division, Juandi Gultom, admitted that he was surprised that Minister of Religion Yaqut was indifferent to the issue of the Juanda HKI Church. In fact, he said, usually the Ketum GP Ansor is always responsive in solving church problems.

"We have done everything, the DPR's communication through friends from the party network but it doesn't work. We are confused by the Minister of Religion (Yaqut, ed), usually he is a bit responsive when it comes to this church, but why does it seem like HKI is closing?," Juandi told VOI, Thursday, June 6.

"That's why we want to bring it up to the media, the HKI wants to communicate with the minister of religion, that's all, so he can hear. Everything is possible, the network we have has been used, but that's how it is," he added.

Previously, the HKI and PGI hoped to meet with the Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas and Chairman of the UIII Trustee Council Jusuf Kalla. PGI hopes that the two of them will open a communication room so that there is a solution related to the problem of the Juanda HKI Church which is threatened with being evicted due to the construction of the UIII campus in Depok.

"We see the highest decision regarding the existence of HKI in the UIII campus complex, the decision is with the minister of religion. Then we see that in the organizational structure there is Mr. Jusuf Kalla as chairman of the board of supervisors of his foundation. We hope that actually the minister of religion will open up space for HKI Juanda to consult, communicate, meet with Mr. JK as well," said Juandi.

Juandi revealed that HKI Juanda had long submitted letters to the minister of religion, the secretary of the ministry and also the chief of presidential staff. However, no one responded to the letter.

"Even though the letter is difficult to keep. So we ask, we hope that the Minister of Religion will respond to it. We will not penetrate there. So we hope that the network from NU, Gusdurian, will penetrate there," he said.

Juandi said he was grateful that the UIII rectorate received the hearing submitted by HKI, PGI and Gusdurian. He explained that his party wanted the existence of HKI in the UIII campus complex to be maintained.

The reason, first, is that the HKI wants to maintain the name of the church. Second, protect the existence of the congregation.

"The HKI where the congregation is around sit, indeed if he is transferred to another place it will disturb the mobility of the congregation as well. Because the HKI in other places in Depok already exists. However, we were not satisfied with the meeting with the rectorate, because they said that only the implementation of the policy of the Ministry of Religion, and in the regulation of the president of the UIII campus was included in the national strategic project. So they only carried out what was mandated," he explained.

PGI hopes that there will be mercy from the Minister of Religion for HKI Juanda to defend the Church on UIII land. He also hopes that the UIII rectorate will convey HKI Juanda's hopes to the minister of religion.

"The goal is that we get good results, but UIII normatively replied, because they are only implementers of the law, they only accommodate aspirations and convey them to the minister (religious). The minister's decision is the result of your recommendations below. They also do not open a common space," said Juandi.