ABC, Thursday, 13 December 2001
Asia-Pacific
<-transcript->
INDONESIA: Is the Laskar Jihad seeking to de-Christianise the
nation?
The United States has issued a new list of so-called terrorist organisations whose
members will be refused entry into the US. Although Malaysia's Al-Ma-unah group,
and the Philippine's New People's Army are on the black list of 39-terrorist
organisations, Indonesia's notorious Laskar Jihad militia does not get a mention. The
group has been involved in religious wars in Indonesia's Sulawesi and Maluku islands,
and some Christian organisations claim the Laskar Jihad is part of a plot to
de-christianise the Indonesian archipeligo.
Presenter/Interviewer: Tricia Fitzgerald .
Speakers: Catholic Priest in Central Sulawesi, Father Journalist Chris McColl,
Malukan seperatist leader Doctor Alex Manuputtu, Malukan refugee, Mathias
Manuhuttu.
FITZGERALD : Indonesia's Laskar Jihad army earned its notorious reputation after
thousands of its fighters went to the Maluku Islands 18 months ago to fight on behalf
of muslim communities there.
As many as 10-thousand people lost their lives in the fighting between christians and
muslims which followed.
Since June this year, the jihad warriors have been on the move again, arriving this
time on the neighbouring island of Sulawesi, and in the past two weeks, they've joined
in attacks on christian villages in Central Sulawesi.
Father Alfred Manus, whose catholic parish is in the front-line of the fighting, says
tens of thousands of christians from coastal villagers have fled since islamic fighters
began burning down churches and attacking christian villages.
FATHER MANUS : It's difficult to say how many people have been killed, as we are
only getting our information from local press reports which say that nine or ten people
have been killed. The christians living in coastal villagers have taken refuge at Napu
Mountain.
FITZGERALD : Chris McColl a freelance journalist in Sulawesi says islamic fighters
involved in the recent attacks on christians, believe they are fighting a holy war to
revenge the killings of muslims last year.
McCOLL : They believe that there is divine will behind this and they are prepared to
die. They regard this as a jihad, a holy war for islam.
FITZGERALD : What about reports that they are using pictures of Osama bin Laden
at their roadblocks? Have you been able to verify any of that?
McCOLL : Yes in fact I travelled down the road to Poso the other day and on some of
the jihad posts there are pictures of Osama bin Laden. I was told by an official of
Laskar Jihad here that they actually have their own differences with Osama bin Laden
and do not really support him. I was told by them that this is not really very serious.
That this is really because Osama bin Laden is a bit of a star, someone who is
defending muslims elsewhere.
To be fair the muslims also claim the christians are getting help from the outside, they
say that the help is coming from the Philippines which is a christian country which is
not far from Sulawesi.
FITZGERALD : One local muslim leader told Chris McColl he was fighting christian
missionary influence in Sulawesi.
McCOLL : His name is Habib Saleh. He is a local muslim leader but one with a great
deal of influence. He spoke about how missionary work is carrying on in whole areas
of Central Sulawesi which were muslim populated. He talked a little bit about the
attacks on September the 11th. He warned America and foreign countries not to
meddle in the affairs of other countries.
FITZGERALD : Jakarta has deployed hundreds of riot police have been sent into
Central Sulawesi and a temporary calm has been imposed. Indonesian authorities say
they will disarm local islamic "white army" and christian "red army" fighters and they
will deport outsiders fighters, like the Laskar Jihad.
But many Indonesian christians doubt the authorities will crack down on the Laskar
Jihad.
They point to the Maluku Islands where separatist leader, Doctor Alex Manaputty,
says jihad are still attacking christian villagers.
Doctor Manuputty says more than a dozen christians have been killed in the Maluku
Islands in the past two weeks either by the military or by Laskar Jihad fighters, who
have been escorted to the capital Ambon, by the marine police, after attacking
villagers.
MANUPUTTY : The problem is the Laskar Jihad attacked christian villagers. The
marines just picked them up by ship and relocate them. That is the work of the
Indonesian TNI, Indonesian government. The civil emergency services in Malukus do
nothing.
FITZGERALD : Some christians say the Laskar Jihad attacks are part of an islamic
conspiracy to eliminate christians from the Indonesian archipeligo, particularily from
positions of power.
And that claim is gaining credibility, in places like the Malukus and in West Papua,
which is also known as Irian Jaya, where Jihad fighters have also arrived in their
thousands.
Mathius Manuhuttu a refugee from the Maluku Islands who now lives in Australia says
says Indonesia's muslim-christian conflicts shouldn't be viewed on a province by
province basis.
He says they are part of a broader political agenda where islamic groups like the
Laskar Jihad backed by the Indonesian military are attempting to de-christianise
Indonesia's more troublesome provinces.
MANUHUTTU : The muslims want some areas in Eastern Indonesia to be destroyed
to become a muslim area. They know in some areas they have really strong christian
communities and they don't want that!
FITZGERALD : Mr Manuhuttu says the Laskar Jihad are attempting to push christians
out of power positions in Sulawesi using the same methods they used in the
Malukus.
MANUHUTTU : We are christian worked together to help each other. When the jihad
came it was totally different. We hate each other and of course we kill each other.
© 2001 Australian Broadcasting Corporation
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