INDONESIA Galang, religious and civil society defend the priest from migrants

Fr. Saturnus was questioned by the police precisely for the crime of human trafficking against which he fights in the diocese of Pangkal Pinang. The area where it operates is a crucial node of the illegal routes to Singapore and Malaysia. The nun who fights against trafficking, Sister Laurantina organized a demonstration to defend him: the authorities should protect him instead of defaming him.

Jakarta () – Father Chrisanctus Paschalis Saturnus, a priest of the diocese of Pangkal Pinang, on Galang Island, has been charged with alleged involvement in human trafficking. The news of the accusation comes from the police, who questioned him about it.

The accusation is truly surprising: Fr. Saturnus, in fact, is responsible for the diocese’s migrant commission, and works actively to offer support to victims of human trafficking in a place like Galang Island, in the Riau archipelago, which is considered the main transit hub for Indonesian migrant workers to Singapore and Malaysia.

That is why the accusation against him is giving rise to numerous peaceful protests in which various religious leaders have also participated. In her defense, Sister Laurentina, a religious of the order of the Sisters of Divine Providence, took a position openly, well known for her initiatives against human trafficking since 2017. Sr. Laurantina organized a demonstration in front of the police headquarters in Kupang, in the province of Nusa Tenggara Orientale (NTT), with the purpose of publicly denouncing the defamation against Fr. Saturn.

He also received the support of Cardinal Suharyo, Archbishop of Jakarta, who precisely in the pastoral letter for this Lent invited all Catholics to fight against human trafficking, considering it one of the most serious crimes against humanity. “Our poorest brothers and sisters – the cardinal recalled – the most vulnerable, such as women of all ages, children, migrants, refugees or those who come from wounded families, are particularly exposed to being victims of traffickers of people”.

The sister Laurentina has also released public petitions to Indonesian President Joko Widodo to intervene against the accusations leveled at the priest, whose criminalization is considered unacceptable. To date, more than 7,000 signatures have been collected on the change.org website, including more than 100 religious leaders, priests and nuns. Fr. Saturnus also received the support of the organization Juventud Católica, which stated that “trafficking in human beings is a serious crime that goes against all religious beliefs.”

For its part, the Komnas HAM (Indonesian Human Rights Commission) has expressed solidarity with the priest, as explained by one of its members, the activist Anis Hidayah, who believes that Fr. Saturnus should be defended by the nation’s authorities.