Dispute Over Administrative Details Halts Church Construction in Surabaya

Construction of a new church in the CitraLand housing complex in Surabaya, Indonesia, has been stalled following protests from local Muslim residents. Opponents of the project argue that the building permit contains an administrative error, noting that the permit lists a location in Neighborhood Unit (RT) 7, while the proposed construction site is situated in RT 1. Residents claim this discrepancy invalidates the permit and have expressed long-standing opposition to the church, which has been in planning stages since 2013.

Legal counsel Hartony Edi maintains that the Building Permit (IMB) remains valid, asserting that minor administrative errors do not provide legal grounds to revoke a state-issued decision. Edi noted that the permit was granted by the mayor of Surabaya in accordance with the 2006 Joint Decree regarding religious building requirements. He advocates for a resolution through government-supervised deliberation to address the community's concerns while upholding the legal status of the project. Protesters, who demonstrated against the construction on August 14, stated that their actions are intended to preserve local interfaith harmony.