Source: www.worthynews.com
Date: October 29, 2024
By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
MEDAN, INDONESIA (Worthy News) – The leader of an underground Christian movement for former Muslims in Indonesia expressed concern Monday about the recent arrest of two Christians for “blasphemy” against Islam.
Ahmad Quraisy, the pen name he uses amid security concerns, told Worthy News that police detained Christian florist Rudi Simamora on Thursday in Sunggal, near Medan, the capital of Indonesia’s North Sumatra Province.
“The Muslim mob raided Rudi Simamora’s home after a debate [about faith] with Nuskin Ustad Yusuf on the social media platform TikTok,” recalled Quraisy
Soon after, “someone had reported Rudi Simamora” [to police], and his home was raided by the Islamic masses, ending with a forced arrest,” he added.
He said the man’s house had been surrounded by a Muslim mob “since 11 am local time,” adding that the “area was only secured at midnight.”
Quraisy, is well-informed about the situation: He was once a commander of the feared Islamic State of Indonesia (NII) before turning to faith in Christ after a preacher’s sermon in the church he planned to blow up.
But the former Islamic terrorist is now involved in converting Muslims to Christianity or, in his words, “personal faith in Christ.”
RECENT ARRESTS
Yet he suggested that the recent arrests of Christians for blasphemy underscore the mounting pressure on devoted believers in the world’s largest Muslim nation.
Rudi had already been detained in 2022 for allegedly insulting Islam, Christians said. He was sentenced to one year in prison on February 23, 2023, and released earlier this year.
Reverend Erwin Tambunan, chairperson of the Medan Regional Indonesian Churches Association (Persatuan Gereja Indonesia Daerah, or PGID), apologized to Muslims for Rudi’s 2022 comments and said Christians support all legal processes against such perpetrators.
It was not clear whether Tambunan spoke under duress as Islamic extremists have attacked several churches.
Rudi’s arrest came weeks after the detention in the coastal city of Sibolga, 336 kilometers (210 miles) outside Medan of Muchtar Nababan, on blasphemy charges, Christians said.
The September 3 arrests came after the ex-councilor of Sibolga allegedly had been “blaspheming [Islam’s prophet] Muhammad and Islam on his Facebook website.
Muchtar reportedly said on Facebook that Christians were protected “from Muslims’ black magic.”
SECRETARY ANGRY
The arrest occurred after Raju Firmanda, secretary of the National Committee of Indonesia Youth (Komite Nasional Pemuda Indonesia, or KNPI) group in Central Tapanuli, filed a criminal case against Muchtar.
Local Muslims protested against Muchtar at Sibolga police headquarters, Christians confirmed.
Yet despite these setbacks, many Muslims turn to Christ, Quraisy explained, adding that “healings by Christ” also took place, including a woman who was dying in hospital.
“We are now closely following the cases of the arrested Christians,” said Victoria, a Christian hosting house church gatherings and prayer meetings.
Christians comprise some 11 percent of Indonesia’s 281.5 million people, who are mainly Muslims, according to the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
Indonesia ranks 42 on the annual World Watch List of 50 nations, where the advocacy group Open Doors says Christians face the most persecution for their faith in Christ.