Samaritan's Purse Orders Out of North Sumatra
Medan, North Sumatra, Oct 3 (ANTARA) - Indonesia`s social affairs minister has issued an instruction asking a foreign non-governmental organization (NGO), Samaritan`s Purse, to immediately leave North Sumatra, for illegal practice of converting people`s faith in the province.
"The social affairs minister has issued an order for Samaritan`s Purse to leave immediately and stop operating in North Sumatra," Raden Muhammad Syafi`i, chairman of the Reform Star Party (PBR) faction at the North Sumatra regional legislative council (DPRD), said here on Tuesday.
Syafi`i said that he got the information about the instruction from the ministry`s director general for social development, Gazali H. Situmorang, when they met in Jakarta, last Saturday (Sept 30).
"So, in the future, Samaritan`s Purse is allowed to operate only in East Nusa Tenggara," he said. The US-based NGO has been spreading certain religious teachings under a disguise of humanitarian mission, he said. Syafi`i was of the view that a number of foreign NGOs operating in Indonesia had claimed that they were on humanitarian mission, while they were actually bringing other missions. "They are also loaded with certain missions, including converting people to a particular belief, as what have allegedly done by 12 foreign NGOs in Aceh," he said.
The North Sumatra DPRD called managers of Samaritan`s Purse last September 18, 2006, following complaints by some people on the activities of the NGO.

If true, this story carried by the national news wire Antara is significant as it is the first time I am aware of of a foreign agency being thrown out of N Sumatra province for preaching since the tsunami. SP is working on Nias island - which is predominantly Christian/animist - and has operations in Meulaboh, Aceh Barat and several other districts here in Aceh province. If they are being tossed out of Nias then one has to wonder how long they'll be allowed to remain in Aceh, which as we all know is 99 percent Muslim. I understand they make a mean cheese-cake and pizza at the Meulaboh office.
Also significant as SP has connections at the highest levels in Washington- headed by Franklin Graham (son of presidential confessor Billy) who is perhaps best known outside Evangelical circles for popping out of his hole long enough to describe Islam as a "very evil and wicked religion".
Actually, the full quote is: "We're not attacking Islam but Islam has attacked us. The God of Islam is not the same God. He's not the son of God of the Christian or Judeo-Christian faith. It's a different God, and I believe it is a very evil and wicked religion."
I was a little surprised they are allowed to stay this long but the tsunami did attract a diverse set of characters. I have had a few peripheral dealings with SP, particularly in Nias where their chopper was instrumental in providing medical services to remote areas in the wake of the March 2005 earthquake. No doubt they saved lives.
At the same time, if the allegations of proselytizing - a criminal offence in Indonesia that mobs have used to rationalize violent attacks on minority Muslim sects - are true it is extremely serious. Plays into the hands of the hardcore minority who see the 'defence of Islam against Crusader influences' as Job One.
More as events unfold.