This is a controversial move.
In a village in Indonesia, a church choir’s rehearsal for a Christmas service was interrupted by local Muslims, who mistakenly believed that the Christians needed permission from community leaders to practice. The incident occurred in the predominantly Muslim Matajang neighborhood of Caile village in South Celebes Province. Andi Arman, the head of the local neighborhood association, claimed the choir needed to report their activity to the government. He explained that he was mediating between the Catholic choir and Muslim residents, citing an agreement that prohibited the Catholics from holding worship services at the location. Despite this, the choir members clarified that they were simply rehearsing, not conducting a worship service.
The church, which uses a multipurpose building for activities other than worship, has been facing opposition from local Muslims. The members typically hold their services in a congregation member’s home due to resistance in the area. The Indonesian Movement for All, a moderate interfaith group, criticized the ban on the choir practice, arguing that such rehearsals should not require official government permission. The organization pointed out that only the establishment of places of worship needs government approval under Indonesian law.
Some Muslim leaders expressed regret over the situation. Ustaz Andi Satria emphasized that singing practices for religious events like Christmas should be protected and that Islam teaches tolerance for all people, not just Muslims. He attributed the misunderstanding to a shallow understanding of religious teachings and called on local authorities to foster dialogue rather than interfere with religious activities.
The head of the St. Mary of Fatima Parish, Immanuel Asi, indicated that the issue was being worked out with the cooperation of several parties. However, sources suggest that the conflict has not been fully resolved, and tensions remain. The St. Yoseph Station church, part of a larger Catholic parish, serves around 50 families in the area. Indonesia, ranked 42nd on Open Doors’ 2024 World Watch List, faces increasing challenges for religious minorities, with a rising influence of conservative Islamic ideologies and threats from extremist groups.