Komnas HAM Finds Extortion Cases Against Churches in West Java
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Kamis, 1 Januari 1970 07:00 WIB
Chairman of the Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM), M. Imdadun Rahmat. TEMPO/Iqbal Ichsan
TEMPO.CO, Purwakarta - Chairman of the Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) Imdadun Rahmat said that the practices of extortion against churches carried out by religious mass organizations were found in West Java.
"Those religious mass organizations demanded hundreds of millions of rupiah to the churces," said Imdadun in Purwakarta on Saturday (5/6).
Those religious organizations argues the money they collected would be used for ‘security’, Imdadun said.
"If people want to worship in the church safely, they should pay them (the religious organizations)," he added.
Imdadun said that extortion cases were revealed when he and other commissioners of Komnas HAM met in Bandung a while ago. During the meeting, it was also revealed despite money given to those organizations, disturbances still come from other organizations who also requested the churces for ‘security funds’.
Imdadun said Komnas HAM has urged the West Java government immediately stop extortion against churches.
