MISNA - Missionary Service News Agency, 7/3/2003 15:45
Indonesia
Kasui: Little Hope For Return Of Christians That Fled From
Islamisation
General, Brief
One may remember the Islamisation that – starting towards the end of November
2000 – took place on Kasui, a small island South-East of Seram island, involving
some 800 Christians.
Recently a JRS team (Jesuit Refugee Service), stationed in Ambon, went there and
met with local leaders of the various villages and hamlets on the island, asking them
about their stance in case the Christians would come back to Kasui.
Apparently most of the Muslims did not object to the Christians’ returning to their
original homesteads. However, village elders in several other places said did not agree
to their returning.
Main reasons they mentioned were: those Christians had become Muslims, and now
they have returned to their original religion, i.e. Christian. Thus, they are to be
regarded as apostates. Another reason they gave was their fear that these Christians
would take revenge on them because of what had been done to them.
Besides, they did not wish any military security forces to be placed on the island.
Thus the Kasui Christians, most of whom are staying as refugees in the town of Tual
and in various villages on the island of Kei Kecil, have little hope to be able to return to
their island in the near future. [BP]
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