The Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS) denounced the incident of forced dispersal of religious retreat at a shelter in Tangkil Village, Cidahu District, Sukabumi Regency, West Java. The conflict related to the prohibition of religious activity occurred on Friday, 27th June 2025. Acts of destruction committed by residents towards the university students who were doing a retreat indicated neglect of the state in protecting and guaranteeing its citizens to carry out the religious activities.
Based on the information compiled from numerous media outlets, the religious activities have been held regularly at Maria Veronica Ninna’s shelter in Tangkil Village Neighborhood Unit (RT) 04/01, Cidahu District, Sukabumi Regency, West Java. Previously, the local residents started to object when a big cross was placed in the backyard of the shelter on 30th April 2025. The local chief of the neighborhood unit (RT) stated that he had been reprimanded and prohibited the shelter usage as a religious facility so that mediation was carried out on 7th June 2025.
However, following the meditation and despite opposition from local residents, the activities still took place. The situation then culminated when around 200 villagers came to the shelter at approximately 1.15 PM. The residents demanded that religious activities, namely retreat, which was attended by 35 university students must be discontinued because it doesn’t have a license. The residents objected that the building was used for a religious facility and every religious-based activity at that location had been blocking access roads used by residents, where there were 23 cars and buses.
The situation got heated, then there were also a number of destructions towards shelter facilities. In a video uploaded through Tribunnews Youtube account with duration of 2 minutes and 18 seconds, it appeared that there was damage by the residents, starting with taking down the cross to the destruction of the property such as glass with the cross. In the circulating video, apparently, the apparatus, particularly the police, were only standing as bystanders as residents vandalized the building.
We consider the prohibition of worship activities in a private space—a shelter owned by an individual in Tangkil Village, Cidahu District, Sukabumi Regency, West Java—to be a violation of human rights as protected under Article 28E of the 1945 Constitution, which states “Every person is free to choose and to practice their choice of religion, to choose education and schooling, to choose employment, to choose citizenship, and to choose their residences within the state territory and to leave, and to which shall have the right to return.” and Article 29 paragraph (2) of 1945 Constitution which states “The state guarantees the freedom of religion for each citizen and to practice such religion and belief accordingly.”
Aside from this, the state also guarantee the rights to security of its citizen particularly in conduct religious activities in Article 28G paragraph (1) which reads “Every person has the right to protection of self, family, honor, dignity and their property, and has the right to security and protection from threats of fear to exercise or not to exercise his human rights.”This does not only violates positive laws in Indonesia, in the international context, prohibition of religious activities is also a violation to the International Human Rights Standards such as Article 18 of Human Rights Declaration 1948, Article 18 of International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which has been ratified through the Law Number 12 of 2005 and Article 22 Law Number 39 of 1999 on Human Rights.
Unfortunately, failure in protection often occurred at the local level. Despite the Joint Decree of The Minister of Religion and The Minister of Home Affairs Number 9 of 2006 or Number 8 of 2006 about Guidelines for the Implementation of Duties of Regional Heads/Deputy Regional Heads in Maintaining of Religious Harmony, Empowering for The Forum of Religious Harmony, and Establishing Place of Worship, in Chapter II is explained regarding Duties of Regional Heads in Maintaining of Religious Harmony and clearly mandates the responsibility of maintaining religious harmony to the regional head at each level, whether governor, regent/mayor, sub-district head, as well as village head which is reflected in so many prohibition religious activity cases proving that this mandate is ignored. The responsibility that should be held firmly by the regional governance to protect the citizens is often neglected and not implemented.
The circulating video also shows police officers who only watched as people destructionized the shelter. The Indonesian National Police (Polri) should not remain silent in the face of riots with religious dimension, but instead protect the civilian’s rights to embrace religion and worship. Referring to The Law Number 2 of 2002 concerning Indonesian National Police which Article 13 and Article 14 paragraph (1) letters a and b explain the main duties of the Polri, of which one is responding to security disturbances and help resolve disputes that disturb public order.
Nevertheless, it is necessary for the Polri to always act based on the principle of proportionality and necessity, ensure that the actions taken doesn’t worsen the situation or cause further casualties, by remembering that the end goal of the act is not only to quell a riot, however also rebuilding the social cohesion and religious harmony, so that the Polri present as human rights protectors and the guardian of harmony amidst religious diversity and beliefs.
Based on Kontras’ monitoring, there are 23 incidents of Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) throughout 2025 with the highest incidents occurring at West Java with 5 incidents and the highest perpetrator from citizens with 11 incidents, followed by the government itself with 8 incidents, and the police with 5 incidents. The violations committed were dominated by place of worship license issues, namely 11 incidents and 7 alleged cults, other actions such as religious activity as much as 2 incidents and 3 other incidents. Therefore, if referring to the mentioned data, it is necessary for the government to guarantee the rights to worship and belief for its citizens.
Based on the above, KontraS urges:
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The Government of The Republic Indonesia fulfill their oath/pledge for enforce the Constitution of Republic Indonesia 1945 that fully guarantee the freedom of religion for each citizen and to practice such religion and belief accordingly, including to establishment of houses of worship;
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The Regional Government at various levels, namely The Governor of West Java, The Regent of Sukabumi, The Sub-district Head of Cidahu, and The Village Head of Tangkil to exercise its maximum authority order to maintain religious harmony in the region;
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Indonesian National Police to evaluate the act of omission committed by the apparatus who were at the location.
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The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) to monitor and follow up on the prohibition of worship activities at the halfway house in Sukabumi which is part of human right violations, in accordance Law Number 39 of 1999 on Human Rights.
Jakarta, 2nd July 2025
Working Body of KontraS
Dimas Bagus Arya
The Coordinator
Contact Person: +628176453325
KontraS
Komisi Untuk Orang Hilang dan Korban Tindak Kekerasan
