In the aftermath of the Bali bombing, jihadists in Indonesia have begun fighting on a new front – through government legislation designed to make life a living hell for non-Muslims, according to a Christian relief organization.
Voice of the Martyrs points to a June 10 law approved by the Indonesian Parliament that requires schools with 10 or more students of any particular faith to be taught religious studies by a teacher of the same faith.
The law, the group says, is targeted at Christian schools on the islands. Many Indonesian Muslim children attend Christian schools because their parents believe the quality of education is better than what is offered by the Islamic institutions. Therefore, if more than 10 students of the Muslim faith attend a Christian school, the schools will be forced to use its funds to hire Muslim teachers and construct mosques on campus.
Voice of the Martyrs says the law is intended to curb the flood of Muslim students converting to Christianity each year. And the group warns the new requirements could heighten tensions between the Muslim majority and the Christian minority.
"Indonesia's new education law will strike at the very heart of religious freedom and impose hardship on the Christian community and its schools," said Voice of the Martyrs in a statement in its September magazine.
Get a free subscription to Voice of the Martyrs monthly magazine