Arastamar School of Theology
Mar 18th, 2007, in News, by PatungThe Arastamar Evangelical School of Theology (SETIA) in Jakarta has attracted the attention of Islamic militants.
On March 8th 2007 about 200 members of thuggish groups such as Front Pembela Islam (FPI) and Betawi Rempug Forum (FBR) attacked the Arastamar Evangelical School of Theology in east Jakarta demanding that it close down, according to international sources. ranesi christianpost Some newly built dormitories and outlying buildings were burned down, the mob claiming that the school had no permission to build them.
One week later on the 17th the mob returned, one report putting its number at 1000, this time bolstered by some local residents, but about 400 police officers were present, preventing any unpleasantness.
The school in Jl. Kampung Pulo, Pinang Ranti, Makassar, East Jakarta, appears to have some connection to a Dutch Reformed church and has about 1,500 students and has been in existence for 20 years. SETIA’s vice principal, Juwanto, says it has a good relationship with local Muslims and that the original mob was from another area.
Arastamar School of Theology.
Maman Suryadi of the FPI claims that SETIA has 7000 students and that the activities of the theological school disturb local residents, who are mainly Muslim. He complains that students sing late at night.
Abdul Fatah from the Department of Religion’s inter-faith harmony section says if the school really does not have its paperwork in order it will have to close.
July 28th 2008. The problems in Kampung Pulo, Pinang Ranti have flared up again sharply, with most of the 1,300 odd students at the college having to be evacuated.
15 Comments on “Arastamar School of Theology”
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Madesh says:
Getting a position in UN Peace Keeping is just a political means to cover up what is really happening in its country.
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Niamh Piperman says:
Maman Suryadi of the FPI claims that SETIA has 7000 students and that the activities of the theological school disturb local residents, who are mainly Muslim. He complains that students sing late at night.
One more example of the forced kowtowing (Dhimmis) by religious minorities who aren’t allowed to disturb the local community with their singing, but have to put up with prayer calls five times a day and in many cases, Sunday morning Muslim sermons also amplified around the neighbourhood.
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Bas says:
With such primitive acts of vandalism all these uneducated monkeys are doing is making people more and more dislike Islam.
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Julita says:
If it is true, if it is only the singing which disturbed them, why not ask them to stop singing loud? anytime. Is there more to it than singing? Hopeless, it will continue. Being there for 20 years and no papers, come on. Whew! 7000 students really, where do they come from?
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Rockstar says:
It is just sad, a few months back I saw a documentary about this school and I was very touched to see how these students/alumni helped people in a very rural area without enough money and even food. They are striving to help and reach people that are out of reach by their own goverment and help them to improve their economy/income by teaching them a lot of great things ie: use the right tools/materials in farming etc.
These good people are willing to sacrifice themselves for the higher good of mankind , and seeing them today getting bully by the FPI really angers me. I hope these moronic and idiotic thugs and all people behind them will be cursed by God and even Allah of moslems.
And also this news convinces us even more that they are just trying to make an excuse, but a very bad one. Even my 6 years old neph can get a better excuse than these people can. This proves us that really FPI is a bunch of idiots, cowards, and losers. And I bet they also dig into pRon stuff. Hypocrites.
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Andrew says:
Uncivilized, barbaric, shameless group of people.
I think the government has tolerated too much on one side and too little on the other. I expect it to step in and bring those thugs to justice.
Oh, I must be dreaming, I’m expecting too much from the government.
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Tomaculum says:
How many mosques in Indonesia were built without official permission?
Abdul Fatah from the Department of Religion’s inter-faith harmony section says if the school really does not have its paperwork in order it will have to close.
Read the name and you will understand the reaction.
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Matahari says:
These people are getting paid to do this stupid act, they are jobless and uneducated.
Interesting how they get this job and who the real actor behind this?
the disturbing fact is how the government turn blind to this kind of behaviour?
is good thing to put hundred and hundred of policemen over there, but did they actually investigate or find out who the real man?This sort of act has been happening many times in many areas and it’s been going on for ages, it’s really sad.
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Parvita says:
Why do FPI and FBR still exist? Why aren’t these organizations banned? FPI is bunch of right wing radicals and FBR is bunch of drunks, the trash of Jakarta.
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Dimp says:
Hi Parvita,
The same way MUI still exist. The diffrence between the two is FPI and FBR use violence while MUI use their so called power to force companies to pay for their “HALAL” certificate.
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Mohammed Khafi says:
Parvita said:
Why do FPI and FBR still exist? Why aren’t these organizations banned? FPI is bunch of right wing radicals and FBR is bunch of drunks, the trash of Jakarta.
Well this little snippet of news may help to explain why, this was sent to me from another Forum which caters for Expats in Jakarta:
Interestingly on Tuesday after checking the e-mails in the office I decided as is my wont during Lebaran to enjoy the delights of having Jakarta more or less to myself and drove around the largely deserted streets. By chance I happened upon Jalan Jaksa and decided to have breakfast at one of the cafes there. Amazingly at 11 a.m. there were punters there openly enjoying large cold Bintangs (15,000 Rp.) as though there were no restrictions in place. What was even more amazing is that the Betawi brotherhood Forum (FBR) now have an office there and parked in the street was their “patrol vehicle” complete with flashing blue lights etc. For those who are not familiar with ther FBR it is the most prominent of the ethnic-based militia organizations in Jakarta. The FBR was founded on July 27, 2001, by Fadloli el-Muhir, a former senior official in an anti-Megawati faction of the PDI, (which later splintered into the PDI-P). The FBR has an estimated 10,000 members throughout Jakarta and is headquartered at the Ziyadatul Islamic boarding school in Cakung, East Jakarta. The FBR has a firm hold over the informal economy, levying taxes on market activities, parking, taxi drivers, motorcycle-taxis (ojek), and street vendors. The organization also runs some economic initiatives for members. On joining the FBR, local ojek drivers are provided with interest-free loans to assist them in buying their own motorbikes.
It seems that they also offer protection for bar owners in Jalan Jaksa. Isn’t Jakarta just fascinating!
Thugs hiding behind a facade of religion, interesting how they use interest free loans to increase their membership as well isn’t it?
Links to political parties, religious organisations, and quite probably the judiciary and forces of law. A disgrace to Islam and to all true Muslims.
Peace
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Molisan Tono says:
Patient, patient, brethren and sisters. Our time has not come yet. Soon when Christ come for the second time, those people will understand how wrong they’ve been. And when that time comes, hopefully it’s not one of our beloved. Pray for them now!
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aer says:
Dimp said:
The same way MUI still exist. The diffrence between the two is FPI and FBR use violence while MUI use their so called power to force companies to pay for their “HALAL” certificate.==> If you are not moslem, please dont intrude moslem’s affair. If you are moslem, then MUI is only an organization who give information to moslem about HALAL status. No company is enforced to have HALAL certificate.
As a moslem we have right to get information about HALAL status of the food we eat. And as this awareness is rising lately, I think it’s only company marketing’s policy that force themselves to obtain the certificate, not MUI itself.
btw more information :
From http://sekolahteologi.blogspot.com/ it seems that the school previously not located in current location.
FPI <— islamic militant
FBR <— Betawi (Jakarta indigenous inhabitant) militant -
George says:
These bastards “bule” gave their opinions in this forum while they were drunk. Why don’t you bules go out from this country rather than stay living here you and your family life for survive.
Comment on “Arastamar School of Theology”.
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After the violence in Sulawesi and Maluku, one might expect that the Indonesian Government would do everything to prevent religious violence being ignited again. However, reality shows that this kind of violence still continues because mobs can stll exert their evil and violent practices.
The most shocking part of it is, when there is an (alledged) infringement on local regulations, some people think they have automatically the right to destroy other people’s properties by taking justice into their own hands. Normally people would investigate the paperwork involved, but here directly the tool of violence and fear is chosen.
As long as these practices are being condoned, the image of Indonesia as being a kind of lawless/anarchistic state will remain in the people’s minds. On one hand Indonesia is participating in a UN peacekeeping operation in Lebanon, while on the other hand peace is hard to find sometimes in its own country. A internal peacekeeping operation seems more urgent at this moment.