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 April 2001

 

THE SITUATION IN AMBON / MOLUCCAS Report no. 168 (30/04/2001) #1030
REVENGE ON MALIK SELANG Moslem moderate leader Malik Selang recently saw his house in the moslem neighbourhood of Waihaong thrown at with stones by some fellow moslems, causing its windowpanes being smashed. The reason of this action may be that he is considered to have deceited the muslims by on several occasions presenting himself as speaking as the secretary of the MUI (Moslem Leading Board) and trying to come to reconciliation with the christians. In fact according to SPMM radio he is just an ordinar member of the MUI. Commenting on this event, Siwalima daily reports that Malik Selang has taken his family to safety at the nearby policequarters of Perigilima. A possible political background of this loathing of Malik Selang may also be the imminent departure of the MUI chairman, who is to become member of the legislative council of the North Moluccas, so that the office of MUI chairperson is vacant and sought after by various candidates.

REMEMBER THE CHRISTIAN CAPTIVES OF THE MOLUCCAS (30/04/2001) #1026
Jubilee Campaign U.K has obtained reliable information from Moluccan Christian sources regarding the continued captivity of thousands of Christians in the Moluccas islands of Indonesia who have been forced by Islamic militants to convert to Islam. It is crucial that these Christians be evacuated by the Indonesian authorities to a place of safety so that they can return to freely practising their Christian faith.

THE SITUATION IN AMBON / MOLUCCAS Report no. 167 (30/04/2001) #1025
STANCE OF THE CHURCHES We are sometimes asked by foreign newsmedia what is the vision of the Catholic Church on the FKM or on any separatist aspirations. Its stance is very clear. The Church opposes for the full 100% any dissident or separatist movements or aspirations. We are convinced that all of the local Protestant Churches and Denominations have the same attitude.

THE SITUATION IN AMBON / MOLUCCAS Report no. 166 (30/04/2001) #1023
MOSLEM RADIO GOES ON BROADCASTING UNHINDERED The directors of the illegal SPMM Radio (Suara Perjuangan Muslim Maluku = Voice of the Moluccan Moslem Struggle) have paid no heed to the second summons by the police to report and to account for the many misleading, false and provocating news broadcasts it sends out. It is not clear what the next step will be.

Australia may take fewer refugees (27/04/2001) #1020
BBC Wednesday, 25 April, 2001, 09:31 GMT 10:31 UK
Australia may significantly reduce the number of legal asylum seekers it accepts, in order to compensate for the large number of people who enter the country illegally, the country's immigration minister said on Wednesday.

Maluku separatist flag hoisted in Indonesia's Maluku (26/04/2001) #1019
ABC(26/04/01 9:11:04)
About 100 supporters of a rebel movement in the eastern Indonesian province of Maluku have hoisted a separatist flag, despite a ban by local authorities.

Vessel sinks in Maluku, 27 missing (26/04/2001) #1014
Jakarta Post 25 April, 2001
AMBON, Maluku: A boat believed to be an inter-island ferry sank in the seas off Indonesia's riot-torn Maluku islands, leaving 27 people missing, Antara said Tuesday.

THE SITUATION IN AMBON / MOLUCCAS Report no. 165 (26/04/2001) #1012
HOISTING OF THE RMS FLAG Local National Radio Broadcast and local daily newspapers report that at 7.00 a.m. yesterday morning the RMS flag was hoisted in the christian neighbourhood of Kudamati, town of Ambon, by Dr. Alex Manuputty, leader of the FKM (Front Kedaulatan Maluku) during a simple ceremony. About 150 people were present at this ceremony. In fact there were three flags: in the middle and in the highest position was the United Nations flag; on its left the RMS flag (of which the colours are blue, white, green and red), on its right the national Indonesian flag. Mr. Semmy Waeleruny, who is the head of the juridical department of the FKM, then read the text of the RMS Proclamation of 51 years ago. Those present sang a special hymn ( Kapata hena masa waya ) during the hoisting of the flag. A moment of silence in honour of those who died during these 51 years was followed by cheering the RMS struggle.

THE SITUATION IN AMBON / MOLUCCAS Report no. 164 (26/04/2001) #1010
EXPLOSION CAUSES FIVE KILLED Premature explosion of a bomb late afternoon last Sunday, April 22, caused the death of five Laskar Jihads. Two others were seriously injured. Local newspapers report on a kind of molotov cocktail being assembled at the neighbourhood of muslim dominated Ahuru at the outskirts of the town of Ambon, when unexpectely it exploded. Immediate investigation of local military security forces resulted in the uncovering of a nest of illegal weaponry and ammunition and various chemical stuff, including a number of military boots and all kinds of other odds. Also were found a number of religious books on Islam Teaching and on Muslimat Victory, a number of T-shirts on which was printed Laskar Mudjahidin . Further were found instruction books on how to be a jihad and an instruction book on how to assemble a bomb. A military spokesman could not confirm whether these Laskar Mudjahidin have anything to do with the well-known Mudjahidin in other countries.

Special effort for peace in Malukus pays off (24/04/2001) #1008
ABC (23/04/01)
A period of relative calm has descended on Indonesia's Maluku Islands, which have been shaken by years of violence between Christians and Muslims. Christians were able to celebrate Easter without disruption and there has been some tentative attempts to restore trust between Christians and Muslims through reconciliation talks. Special joint forces sent temporarily to the province late last year are having a stabilising effect and it seems Indonesian authorities are keen to keep the fragile peace alive. They have banned a mainly-Christian based separatist group, which had been gearing up to celebrate a controversial independence anniversary this week. Tricia Fitzgerald reports. © 2001 Australian Broadcasting Corporation.


 Listen to the interview (Real Player required to listen to the interview)

Five killed in fresh violence (24/04/2001) #1007
Jakarta Post, 24 April 2001
Among the evidence was a MK-1 machine gun, dozens of bullets, 20 bullets for Colt pistols, 99 detonators, four wrappers of assembled bombs, six boxes of matches, gunpowder, bottled chemicals, timers, Rp 2,281,500 cash, documents and bomb-making instructions, a camera, a binocular, several bomb-assembling devices, three military-style backpacks, 18 other backpacks, combat boots, and several T-shirts emblazoned with the text of a certain Muslim group.

Maluku separatist group seeks to raise flag (24/04/2001) #1005
Indonesian Observer Tuesday, April 24 - 2001
AMBON (IO) – The Maluku Sovereignty Front (FKM), a group struggling for
Maluku’s independence, currently is seeking a permit from the Indonesian
government to raise the flag of the separatist South Maluku Republic (RMS)
on April 25.

Islam's Holy Warriors (23/04/2001) #1000
But Laskar's importance goes well beyond Maluku. In many ways, the group's rapid growth illustrates the larger problems facing Indonesia's young democracy. Laskar's existence symbolizes the erosion of central government authority and the breakdown of law and order. It also speaks of an explosion of ethnic violence and creeping religious intolerance amid economic hard times.

Indonesia may fix war monument (20/04/2001) #995
The Courier-Mail 07/04/01. INDONESIA offered an olive branch to outraged Australian veterans yesterday by suggesting it might restore a war graves monument destroyed by Muslims in troubled Ambon.

Diggers' Ambon graves bombed (20/04/2001) #994
The Courier-Mail 06/04/01. A MONUMENT to Australian soldiers beheaded on an Indonesian island in World War II has been blown up by Muslim militants.

Indonesia bans Maluku separatist movement (20/04/2001) #993
ABC (17/04/01 22:01:36). Indonesian authorities have outlawed a mainly-Christian secessionist movement in the troubled Maluku islands.

New deaths in Malukus (20/04/2001) #992
BBC (Monday, 2 April, 2001, 09:33 GMT 10:33 UK). Church officials in Indonesia say a gang of armed Muslims have raided a village in the Moluccan Islands, killing three Christians.

Three Christians killed in Maluku village (20/04/2001) #991
ABC (21:48:52 AEST). Around 30 Muslims armed with automatic weapons have reportedly attacked a village in Indonesia's Maluku islands, killing three Christians.

40,000 North Maluku refugees return home: Governor (20/04/2001) #989
Jakarta Post 20 April 2001
Those who have returned include people of the restive subdistricts of Ibu and Loloda and some 300 East Javanese transmigrant refugees who eventually returned to the transmigration site in Kao-Halmahera subdistrict.

Maluku's Joint Battalion I to be pulled out in May: Yasa (19/04/2001) #984
Jakarta Post 19 April 2001
JAKARTA (JP): Patimurra Military Commander Brig. Gen. I Made Yasa hinted on Wednesday that the military elite's Joint Battalion I might be withdrawn from restive Maluku province in May, Antara reported.

Illegal migrants nabbed in Maluku (19/04/2001) #983
Jakarta Post 19 April 2001
AMBON, Maluku: Immigration officers detained eight Iraqi nationals who entered Maluku illegally, an official said on Wednesday.

THE SITUATION IN AMBON / MOLUCCAS Report no. 163 (17/04/2001) #980
MOSLEM AND CHRISTIAN REPRESENTATIVES TO EUROPE A five-member delegation representing both the christian and the moslem people of the Moluccas, was in Europe from March 29 to April 11, 2001, to plead the Moluccan cause. Members of the delegation were: Haji Muhammad Jusuf Ely (influential Moslem from the Moluccas), Monseigneur P.C.Mandagi (Roman Catholic Bishop of Amboina), Minister Jacky Manuputty (representative of the Moluccan Protestant Church GPM), Raja Machfud Nukuhehe (Adat chief Latupati of Leihitu, Raja Seith) and Minister John Titaley (representative of the Moluccan Protestant Church GPM).

Maluku governor bans FKM activities (17/04/2001) #979
AMBON, Maluku (JP): Administrator of the civil emergency status in Maluku Governor Saleh Latuconsina issued a decree to ban the activities of the separatist Maluku Sovereignty Front (FKM) on Monday in a bid to maintain the improving security situation in the strife-torn province.

Official Letter from Yusuf Ely (17/04/2001) #977
Here is an example of a typical letter from "a son of bitch"

JOINT APPEAL TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY (16/04/2001) #975
We believe that this conflict is not a religious conflict. Religion is used to serve the political agenda of certain factions in indonesia. The Moluccan people are considered expendable pawns in this political game and they are paying the price of every move with their lives. Since the violence is perpetrated by provocateurs and militant extremist, some of whom hold high-level position in the government and the military, we believe this conflict will not come to an end without some form of international assistance.

Maluku to review emergency status (16/04/2001) #974
Jakarta Post, 16/4/2001
AMBON, Maluku (JP): Maluku Governor Saleh Latuconsina asserted on Sunday that the civil emergency status on the disputed province will be evaluated in June by a team comprising central government officials led by Coordinating Minister for Political, Social and security Affairs, House of Representatives (DPR) members and the civil emergency executors.

Easter celebration passes smoothly in restive Maluku (16/04/2001) #973
Jakarta Post, 4/15/2001 6:25:10 PM
JAKARTA (JP): Easter celebration passed smoothly across the country on Sunday, with almost all churches praying for the safety of the nation in their Sunday eulogy amid the country's continuing conflicts and crisis.

Operation Sweep continued in North Maluku (11/04/2001) #967
Indonesian Observer Monday, April 9 - 2001
Military personnel and local police under the Security Recovery Group, continued sweeping ID cards to ensure all those entering and exiting North Maluku carry the appropriate ID-cards and have appropriate purposes to visit the region.

Civil emergency should be extended: Governors (11/04/2001) #966
Jakarta Post April 07, 2001
In view of potential conflicts and refugee problems, local authorities deem it necessary to extend the civil emergency status in the troubled Maluku and North Maluku provinces, both governors said here on Friday.

VISIT TO AMBON. PRELIMINARY REFLECTION (09/04/2001) #962
During our time in Ambon Joy Balazo and I visited refugee camps in Halong and then in Hukurilla. I was also able to visit the destroyed campus of the Christian University in Ambon (UKIM), the Ambon Crisis Centre (based at the Catholic Cathedral in Ambon) and a number of other areas including the site of Silo Church (which was burnt down on 26 December 1999). I was also able to be driven close to the site where the conflict first started in Batu Merah in January 1999 while I then travelled by boat to a point about 1 km from the burnt out complex of the state university (this area is controlled by Jihad) .

Indonesian Christians Suffer Torture, Death in Brutal Jihad (09/04/2001) #961
By Gary Lane, April 06, 2001. CBN.com. Homes and churches have been burned, Christians have been forcibly converted to Islam and men, women, children and even the elderly have been forcibly circumcised. Others have been sliced to shreds and beheaded by crazed Muslim mobs.

THE SITUATION IN AMBON / MOLUCCAS Report no. 162 (09/04/2001) #960
An estimated 39.000 christian refugees from the North Moluccan islands of Ternate, Tidore, Morotai and Halmahera are still staying in Manado and Bitung. It has been programmed that these will be brought back after the muslim refugees at Ternate will be returned to Halmahera, for part of the undamaged christian houses in the town of Ternate are being used by moslem refugees now.

THE SITUATION IN AMBON / MOLUCCAS Report no. 161 (09/04/2001) #959
FRESH JIHAD FORCES Though not officially acknowledged, there are many rumours that fresh Jihad troops are coming in on virtually every passengership from Java. Also their training in this case in Ahuru/Ambon is said to go on unhampered. Apparently the Responsible for the Civil Emergency State and his staff refrain from any actions which might displease the mighty Jihad forces and their nationwide back up.

Masariku Report 131 (09/04/2001) #958
The case of forced conversion was at one stage a hot issue discussed in Maluku. However, this case was later found not only in Kesui and Teor. Before these places many Christians in Maluku and North Maluku have experienced the same violence. Some Christian villages in East Seram for example have experienced this case since January 2000. (In Indonesian)

Masariku Testimony 6 (an English version of news #921, 20/03/2001) (09/04/2001) #957

ORAL STATEMENT TO 57TH SESSION OF THE UHRC (06/04/2001) #956
We urge this Commission to appoint a U.N Special Rapporteur on Indonesia and to put pressure on the Indonesian government to evacuate to a place of safety those Christians forced to convert to Islam as well as to remove members of the Laskar Jihad and other Islamic militants from the Moluccas.

New security operation to be tested in Maluku (06/04/2001) #955
Jakarta Post, 5 April 2001
AMBON, Maluku (JP): Maluku's civil emergency administrators have decided to try out a new type of security operation in an attempt to stop raids on villages following Sunday's attack on Kase village, Buru Island, which killed at least three people.

Colonial legacy dogs Maluku people (06/04/2001) #954
Jakarta Post April 04, 2001
AMSTERDAM (JP): Arriving in cold and grim Holland on March 21, 1951, they never imagined they would have to remain so far from their homeland. Yet their future was a fait accompli, creating a minority abroad that is still dealing with the consequences three generations later.... The Netherlands has been home for migrants, refugees and asylum seekers for centuries. Yet 50 years on, the integration of Dutch-Malukus -- one of the country's smallest but toughest minorities -- proved to be difficult.

THE SITUATION IN AMBON / MOLUCCAS Report no. 160 (04/04/2001) #952
GENERAL SITUATION ON THE ISLAND OF BURU A very trustworthy person recently came back from an expedition to Buru and told us that starting at the south coast he had crossed the island nearly up to the north coast, a travel which took a week. He had witnessed most distressing situations among the christians and former christians.

At least three killed in fresh attack in Maluku (03/04/2001) #950
AMBON, Maluku (JP): At least three people were killed in an attack on Kase village, Buru island, Maluku, on Sunday.

Three die in attack on Kase village on Buru Island (03/04/2001) #949
Jakarta Post, April 2, 2001
JAKARTA (JP): Three people died and four went missing in an attack on Kase village, South Buru district, Buru Island, Sunday at around 11 a.m.

Diarrhea, malaria sweep through refugee camps in N. Maluku (03/04/2001) #945
Jakarta Post, April 1, 2001
JAKARTA (JP): Diarrhea and malaria are raging in at least two refugee camps in riot-torn North Maluku province, Antara news agency reported on Saturday.

THE SITUATION IN AMBON / MOLUCCAS Report no. 159 (02/04/2001) #943
FOREIGNER KILLED On Saturday, March 31, a 62 years old Dutchman (by Siwalima daily named Jan D.W. Schart, whereas Suara Maluku daily calls him Jansens, married to a woman from Waai) was killed in Liang, an islam village at the north-east coast of Ambon island. He was stabbed at his neck. It seems that the victim had been at Liang for several weeks already, working on his cottage at the beach. His body will be transported to Jakarta today, and from there to the Netherlands.

 English News March 2001 (Arumbaikole)

 English News February 2001 (Arumbaikole)

 English News from 31st December 2000 - 31st January 2001 (Maluku67)

 English News from 11st - 31st December 2000 (Maluku67)

 English News from 1-11st December 2000 (Ambon67)


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