UN News Service, 3 Apr 2002
Indonesia: UN to evacuate from Ambon after deadly
Christian-Muslim clash
The United Nations plans to evacuate its personnel in Ambon, Indonesia, to Jakarta
after a deadly clash between thousands of Muslims and Christians today killed five
people and left the UN office there in ruins.
At about 11:30 a.m., Muslim extremists apparently exploded a bomb near the
Governor's office, which in addition to housing local government agencies is also the
base for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the UN
Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the UN Security Coordinator, according to a report filed
by the UN Field Security Officer in Indonesia.
About 30 minutes later, a fire was started at the Governor's office by Christian
militiamen who felt that the Indonesian Government was not doing enough to protect
the Christian community from the Muslim extremists.
For about an hour, heavy gunfire was exchanged between the Muslim and Christian
parts of the city as 1,000 people from both sides gathered on the dividing line.
"The UN offices have been destroyed, the offices of our Government counterparts have
been destroyed and the possibility of retaliatory attacks from both communities is
very real," the report warned.
The Indonesian armed forces (TNI) and police have been deployed to the area and
have managed to control the situation, which OCHA described as "calm but very
tense." Five civilians have been confirmed killed by the explosion and 24 injured, all
Christians.
At the time of the incident, there was one UN international staff member and four
national staff in Ambon, who have since been relocated to a private residence with
army protection.
According to OCHA, this was the first serious incident since the Muslim and Christian
leaders signed an 11-point agreement known as the Malino Declaration in South
Sulawesi on 12 February under the aegis of the Coordinating Minister for People's
Welfare, Jusuf Kalla.
In the Declaration, the 70 Muslim and Christian delegates expressed their
commitment to end all conflict and violence and established two joint commissions,
one on security and law enforcement headed by the Chief of Police, and another on
socio-economic and welfare headed by the Vice-Governor.
|
