The election of Zaini Abdullah, a hard-line Islamic governor of the militant Aceh Party in Indonesia's Aceh Province has opened the way for a crack-down on the minority Christian community. Seventeen churches were sealed shut in early May. Emboldened by the election result hundreds of Islamists demanded that area church buildings not only be sealed, but also demolished. Christian leaders said that applications for Church permits are routinely delayed or denied and the sealing demands were based on a debatable agreement that Christians were forced to sign in 2001, mandating only one church and four chapels in the regency. The number had grown to 22. Of the 17 churches closed 11 belong to the Protestant Christian Church of Pakpak Dairi. The mob demanded the demolition of church buildings and an acting regent agreed to the demand with the police chief supporting him, saying the time for dialogue was past.

Pray: for God to build His Church,and bring to maturity a myriad of Christian communities in Aceh Province.(Ps.119:86)

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