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, April 23, 2004
THE SITUATION IN AMBON/MOLUCCAS – Report No. 418
1. FKM INTENDS TO RAISE RMS FLAG - The Moluccas Sovereignty Front (FKM)
vows to hoist RMS flags in Ambon next Sunday on occasion of the 54th anniversary
of the Moluccas RMS Independence Movement, thus was said by FKM secretary
general Moses Tuanakota. "The military and police have threatened to shut down our
commemoration activities, but the flag must fly. Besides", he said, "nine countries
support the struggle of the FKM/RMS". However he declined to mention those nations
by name. Meanwhile Military commander BrigGen. Ginting Munthe said he had been
ordered to deal sternly with any separatist activities on that day.
Some civilians, too, have voiced their loathing of the RMS/FKM. The FPMB (Forum
Pemuda Muslim Baguala = Forum of Young Muslims of [the subdistrict of] Baguala
[part of Ambon city]) together with the Pemuda Reformasi Maluku (Young people of
Moluccas Reformation) have threatened - if needed - to use physical power to combat
the separatist movements of RMS and FKM next April 25. Thus was declared by
FPMB chairman Sulaiman Latupono and local Pemuda Reformasi Maluku leader
Muhammad Saleh B. Nurlete. To that end a task force has been established, called
MPB (Milisi Penyelamat Bangsa = Militia to Rescue the Nation), which will operate
within the law, even cooperating with military and police forces.
2. LATEST SITUATION OF REFUGEES IN AMBON - The 5,460 families of refugees
on the island of Ambon have been given until July 2004 to vacate the public and
government facilities they have been camping in since 1999. "The refugees must leave
these compounds in the next two months at the latest", Deputy Governor M. Abdullah
Latuconsina said in Ambon on April 21 after visiting some camps. The refugees are
staying at shop compounds in Batumerah, the athletes' dormitory in Karangpanjang,
the Waihaong People's Entertainment Park and several government buildings. They
are part of the 36,000 refugee families who are still in camps throughout the province,
mainly due to lack of fun! ds for transportation and rebuilding their homes.
C.J.Böhm msc,
Crisis Centre Diocese of Amboina |
