CRISIS CENTRE DIOCESE OF AMBOINA
Jalan Pattimura 32 -- Ambon 97124 -- Indonesia
Tel 0062 (0)911 342195 Fax 0062 (0)911 355337
E-mail: crisiscentre01@hotmail.com
Ambon, March 18, 2003
THE SITUATION IN AMBON / MOLUCCAS - Report No. 357
1. FKM LEADERS TRANSFERRED TO JAKARTA – In the morning of March 17, Dr.
Alex Manuputty and Semmy Waeleruny SH, leaders of the Front Kedaulatan Maluku
(= Moluccas Sovereignty Front), were detained in Ambon in order to be transferred to
Jakarta, where they will serve their three years’ imprisonment sentence. Their
detention did not go unnoticed by several hundreds of supporters, most of them
youngsters, who accompanied their heroes starting from Manuputty’s house in
Kudamati to Police HQ at Batumeja in a motorcycle cavalcade or on foot, shouting
“merdeka” (freedom) and “Menamuria!” while singing various songs. Having arrived at
Police HQ, Manuputty was given the opportunity to speak to the assembled
youngsters, telling them to keep calm, but also promising that he would be back
bringing them the RMS sovereignty. At about 1.45 p.m. both FKM leaders were taken
to Pattimura airport, Laha, by helicopter, from where they got on a plane to Jakarta.
Before leaving they assured those assembled that next April 25 the RMS flag will be
hoisted all over the Moluccas.
2. VARIOUS ACTS OF VIOLENCE – Last week a man’s body was detected at the
back of the Ambon Plaza mall, a muslim neighbourhood. Up to now the corpse has
not been claimed by any relative.
On March 17 a quarrel at the market-place of Batumerah ended in Zulkifli Heluth (21)
being stabbed with a knife, causing his death shortly afterwards. The fighting then
shifted to Yos Sudarso harbour, whereby a resident from Asilulu, Ahmad Jufri Lain,
was seriously injured.
Earlier on the same day, at about 9.00 a.m., a minibus was thrown at with stones by
an angry crowd when passing the muslim area of Galunggung. Though the car was
damaged, nobody of those inside the car were hurt.
Happenings like these are an indication that renewed tenseness is gradually building
up in Ambon.
3. NEW MILITARY COMMANDER – This morning Major General TNI Djoko Santoso
officially handed over the command of the military forces in the Moluccas to the newly
appointed military chief commander for the Moluccas, Major General TNI Agustadi.
C.J.Böhm msc,
Crisis Centre Diocese of Amboina |
