Ambon, December 1, 2000
THE SITUATION IN AMBON / MOLUCCAS Report no. 99
- IMPOSSIBLE TO OUST THE JIHADS - Again and again from the side of the
christians there is pressure on the the Governor, the Military Chief Commander
and the Police Chief Commander of Ambon to expulse the since last May sent in
(and still coming in) Jihad Forces of the Forum Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jammaah. Now
at last the Police Chief Commander, Firman Gani, confessed not to be able to do
so because of its consequences to the rest of Indonesia (to which is answered, of
course: Let other regions take care of themselves). Besides, the Jihads from
outside the Moluccas have meanwhile become part of the muslim community of
the Moluccas (which is much doubted!), so that a lot of Moluccan muslims are
expected to protest as well if repressive measures against the Jihads would be
taken. Firman Gani declared this to a gathering of young men who had assembled
in the Ambon Salvation Army church in Mardika. He added: Besides, it is hardly
to be doubted that their presence in the Moluccas is being supported by influential
persons in Jakarta. What the national government should do is to prevent them
boarding ships for Ambon. The obvious solution to the problem he said is going on
persuading them to leave and also to intensify sweeping on weaponry among both
christians and muslims.
- SYARIAT INSTEAD OF PANCASILA - The Republic of Indonesia, when founded
by Soekarno and Hatta in 1945, was based on the Pancasila philosophy = 5
(panca) pillars, namely Belief in One God, Equality and Ethics, Unity, Democracy
and Social Justice for all. According to Drs. Max Maswekan from the UKIM
(Christian Moluccan University) of Ambon as he declared to Siwalima newspaper
the christians in the Moluccas up to now have been faithful to the Pancasila;
however they are being accused by the jihad leader, Jaffar Umat Thalib, to be
separatists. But by proclaiming the Syariat (Islam Law) to be introduced in the
North Moluccas (see Report 98 no. 2), Jaffar himself turns out to be the real
separatist.
- HANDLING OF SNIPERS ACTIVITIES - Indirectly Police Chief Commander
Firman Gani confessed that the police forces of the Regional Police, which has its
headquarters in Perigi Lima, Ambon town, might be involved in snipers activities in
the town quarters near Perigi Lima, by removing 650 Regional policemen from
Perigi Lima elsewhere. Daily 24 hours surveillance will be carried out by Brimob
police forces instead. Of course people ask: Where are they being moved? And:
Is this the right solution to the problem? Should not there be first of all an internal
consolidation of the police forces?
- FORCED CONVERSIONS - The chairman of the protestant-christian attorney
team (Tim Pengacara Gereja TPG) Ambon, Mr. Semmy Waileruny, yesterday
declared to Suara Maluku newspaper, that 625 christian residents of the little
island of Keswui (also spelt as Kesiui or Kasui) are being held as captives after
they had been rounded up by the muslims in the woods where they had fled
during the muslim attacks on their four villages November 23 26 (see Report 98,
no. 4). He said that twenty of them have already been circumcised, whereas the
others are supposed to be waiting for their turn to be circumcised as well. No
need to say that this is a grave violation of human rights.
- AMBASSADOR OF JAPAN VISITS AMBON - On his visit to Ambon, November
29-30, the ambassador of Japan, Mr. Takao Kawakami, paid visits to and had
meetings with various prominent leaders. During his visit to the bishop of
Amboina, Msgr. P.C.Mandagi MSC, he asked about topics such as what had in
fact caused this conflict to happen, about the role of the military and police foces,
about the presence of the laskar jihad in the Moluccas, etc. Asked what Japan
could possibly do to alleviate the people s suffering, he was among others
informed about the shortage of transportation facilites, especially ships for
evacuation and transportation, both for refugees and security forces. Among the
large passengerships, only the Dobonsolo can be safely boarded by christians,
since the other ships on their routes dock at muslim harbours .
C.J.Böhm MSc,
Secretary of Crisis Centre Diocese of Amboina |
Received via email from: Crisis Centre Diocese of Amboina
