Indonesia – Christian students evicted from refuge

In late October security forces in Jakarta, capital of Indonesia, began evicting hundreds of Christian students from their temporary accommodation in the city. Some 700 were expelled from a municipal building and others from a campground. The students belong to SETIA Bible College, which was forced to vacate its own campus in July 2008 following a violent attack by a Muslim mob. The college had taken refuge in the temporary locations, which provided housing and classroom space. But recently the Indonesian Supreme Court ruled that the land and buildings belonged to a foundation, and the police moved in to clear the site. The provincial government has offered to house students at an office building in the city, but SETIA officials said that it was unfit for habitation. “A barn for water buffalo is much nicer than that place,” said the college secretary. • Pray for the students and staff of the college, that satisfactory accommodation will be provided for them, and that they will soon be able to return to their own premises without fear of further violence. • Pray for Christians in Indonesia facing obstruction, harassment and physical attacks because of their faith.