HEAD OF PAPUA MINISTRY OF RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS OFFICE PARTICIPATES IN COORDINATION MEETING ON MAPPING AND ADVOCACY FOR HOUSE OF WORSHIP PERMIT

The Head of the Regional Office (Kakanwil) of the Ministry of Religious Affairs (Kemenag) of Papua Province, Klemens Taran, along with Administrative Officials, participated in a Coordination Meeting on "Mapping and Advocacy for House of Worship Permit/Temporary House of Worship Permit" held online on Friday, July 5, 2024, via the Zoom Meeting platform. This meeting was organized by the Secretary General of the Ministry of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, M. Ali Ramdhani. The VIP meeting room of the Papua Provincial Office of Kemenag was the venue for this meeting.

Ali Ramdhani explained the importance of this coordination meeting due to the many cases of rejection of worship places or temporary worship places that violate the Joint Ministerial Regulation Nos. 8 and 9 of 2006.

"Facts show that there are still people who want to build houses of worship, but they face community rejection because it is deemed not suitable for the surrounding environment. This gives a bad image to the harmony of interfaith relations in Indonesia," he said.

Ali noted that rejection or disturbance of houses of worship and rejection or disturbance of worship are two different things. The former involves efforts by individuals or groups to obstruct and disturb the existence of houses of worship, such as rejecting construction and vandalizing houses of worship. The latter involves efforts to hinder worship activities.

Ali also mentioned that from 2023 to July 5, 2024, there was a decrease in cases of disturbance or rejection of houses of worship and worship activities from 47 cases to 12 cases.

"Although the number of rejection or disturbance cases has decreased, we still have to work hard because there are still cases of rejection of houses of worship or religious worship in our Republic," he added.

Ali outlined several mitigation steps to reduce the number of rejection or disturbance cases against houses of worship and religious worship. First, data collection and mapping of every house of worship that does not yet have a house of worship permit (for those with ≥ 90 potential users). Second, data collection and mapping of every worship activity that does not yet have a temporary house of worship permit (for those with less than 90 potential users). Third, advocacy and assistance in obtaining house of worship permits or temporary house of worship permits. Fourth, implementing Minister of Religious Affairs Circular No. 11 of 2023 regarding the Use of Ministry of Religious Affairs Offices as Temporary Houses of Worship.

Additionally, Klemens Taran, Kakanwil Kemenag Papua, made a statement regarding this coordination meeting.

"Regarding the issues of establishing houses of worship and worship activities that have been ongoing, the Kakanwil, echelon 1 officials at the central level, and officials at the district and city levels have united in addressing all these issues," he stated.

"We at the Papua Regional Office are participants in this meeting, and thankfully, to this day in Papua, both the construction of houses of worship of any religion and the conduct of worship activities have remained conducive due to the well-maintained harmony of interfaith relations," he added.

The Kakanwil reminded that although the condition of house of worship construction and worship activities in Papua remains conducive, preparations are still necessary, one of which is filling out a special form provided by the Center for Religious Harmony (PKUB). The purpose of this form is to assist the government and the Ministry of Religious Affairs in preventing rejection or disturbance against houses of worship and worship activities in Indonesia.

This coordination meeting was attended by the Director General of Islamic Community Guidance of Kemenag RI, the Director General of Christian Community Guidance of Kemenag RI, the Director General of Catholic Community Guidance of Kemenag RI, the Director General of Hindu Community Guidance of Kemenag RI, the Director General of Buddhist Community Guidance of Kemenag RI, the Head of Confucianism Education and Development Center, and all Kakanwil Kemenag throughout Indonesia.