CRISIS CENTRE DIOCESE OF AMBOINA
Jalan Pattimura 32 - Ambon 97124 - Indonesia
Tel 0062 (0)911 342195 Fax 0062 (0)911 355337
E-mail: comamq@ambon.wasantara.net.id
Ambon, 3 December 2001
POSSO REPORT no. 1
The town of Posso lies in Central Celebes, East Indonesia. During the last few years
on several occasions there was religious strife in that region causing a lot of
casualties and physical destruction. The town of Posso itself has been "cleansed" of
christians since then. Posso is part of the Diocese of Manado (North Celebes), led by
Bishop Jos Suwatan MSC. The Bishop asked us to inform the readers of our
Moluccas Reports on what has been happening there recently. We apologize to those
who might not directly be interested in these reports.
* 27 NOVEMBER 2001 – We summarize the information sent to us by Msgr. Jos
Suwatan, as follows. Since early in the morning there is mutual shooting between
muslim jihad forces and security forces at Betalemba, which lies on the shore, 15 km
north of Posso. At 7.30 p.m. the christian quarters of Betalemba are conquered by the
jihads. Two Betalemba residents are reported to have been killed. It is said that the
local government allowed, even supported, the several thousands of jihad troops to
enter the area with their automatic weaponry, including grenades.
* 28 NOVEMBER 2001 – Msgr. Suwatan further reports that during the morning of
November 28, about 15.000 refugees from Betalemba are seen to be moving in the
direction of Napu.
At 11.00 a.m. the village of Patibunga (situated between Betalemba and Tangkura) is
burned down by the jihads. The security forces are unable to stop this devastation.
The town of Tentena, south of Posso, is now under threat. Many christians have
gathered there.
At 4.00 p.m. the jihads have entered the village of Tangkura. Part of the village has
already been burned down. It is difficult to distinguish who are the military and who are
the jihads since many jihads wear military outfit.
* NO CIVIL EMERGENCY – In the newspapers of Ambon there is hardly any news on
the events in Posso. "Suara Maluku" reports on December 4, that Governor
Aminuddin Ponulele is of the opinion that proclaiming the Civil Emergency State for
the Posso area is not necessary. He stresses that the Civil Emergency State is to be
declared only when the local government is ineffective and neither the security forces
nor the juridical administration are functioning properly. According to the Governor,
there are now six thousands refugees sheltering in the Napu valley, included those of
earlier unrest.
C.J.Böhm MSc,
Secretary of Crisis Centre Diocese of Amboina
Received via e-mail from : Crisis Centre Diocese of Amboina
|
