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CRISIS CENTRE DIOCESE OF AMBOINA Jalan Pattimura 32 - Ambon 97124 - Indonesia Tel 0062 (0)911 342195 Fax 0062 (0)911 355337 E-mail: compro@ambon.wasantara.net.id Ambon, October 16, 2000 THE SITUATION IN AMBON / MOLUCCAS - Report no. 77 SECURITY FORCES UNDER THREAT - On Saturday morning, October 14, army batallion Yonif 141 was attacked at their location in the neighbourhoods of Rinjani and Kebun Cengkeh (outskirts of Ambon town), resulting in tenseness in Galala, Hative Kecil, Halong and Karang Panjang. The attackers (muslims) are supposed to try and oust these military who had previously driven muslim forces back during the attack on Galala on October 12, when at least 5 of the attackers had been killed and 27 wounded.   MOSQUE AT WAAI - In our REPORT 63 no. 4 (1) we provided the following summary of a report by muslim MHI on internet, dated September 20 2000: Salahutu residents agree to build the village of Waai: "Since the beginning of the 16th century the muslim villages in whole Indonesia have been forced by intruders from Portugal, Spain and the Netherlands to embrace the christian religion, including the village of Waai in the Salahutu area, island of Ambon. Alhamdulillah, since last August 31, the village of Waai has officially become Waai Islam. It was lost in 1670, but now taken over again after a battle between the ummat Islam and the Christian RMS. The return of Waai into muslim embrace and its rebuilding was the focus of discussion at a meeting on September 15 by civil and military authorities of the Salahutu area, including the raja-s (traditional "kings") of Liang, Tulehu, Tial and Tengah-Tengah. Present was also the chief commander of the Laskar Jihad, Ustad Ja'far Umar Thalib. One of the proposals of Ustad Ja'far was to build a mosque exactly on the place where there had been a mosque in the 16th century. The meeting resulted in unanimous agreement to rebuild Waai as a muslim village, thus also ensuring security for nearby muslim villages from being harassed by christian RMS." Now on October 8, 2000, the DPP (Central Leading Board) of the Forum Komunikasi Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jamaah (FKAWJ) published on internet the ascertainment that indeed the Muslims are starting to build Waai Islam, the first project being the building of Mesjid Raya ("Grand Mosque") which will have an area of 2.936 m². However, the governor's reaction was that he will not allow the muslims to build a "Waai Islam" at the site of the totally devastated location of the christian village of Waai.   AL-FATAH HOSPITAL DIRECTOR KILLED - During the night of Saturday on Sunday, October 14-15, the sound of home-made grenades and firing of organic rifles could be heard in the Ambon neighbourhoods of Mardika and Karang Panjang and especially at the muslim neighbourhood of Waihaong. It was reported that some muslim youngsters came to Waihaong seemingly looking for trouble, which was not appreciated by the local residents. Security forces initially did not succeeed in preventing ensuing conflict. Physician (specialist) Dr.Paing Suryaman, director of the Al-Fatah hospital, tried to intervene and separate the conflicting parties, but was hit by fragments of a grenade, wounding him seriously in the abdomen; he died a few hours later. Several others, too, were injured. However, there is another report saying that he was hit by a bomb which was thrown by a mob of youngsters from the nearby neighbourhood of Soa Bali, directed at a mob of youngsters from Waihaong, as a revenge on an earlier beating of one of them by a Waihaong young man. There was also talk of one among them being drunk The Governor, Dr.Ir. M.Saleh Latuconsina together with Police Chief Firman Gani, went to the Al-Fatah compound to pay a visit of condolence.   VISIT DELEGATION OF THE EUROPEAN UNION TO THE NORTH MOLUCCAS - The 17 member delegation of 9 European countries, representing the European Union, arrived at Ternate, the capital of the province of the North Moluccas, in the late afternoon of Friday, October 13. During their meeting with the responsible of the Civil Emergency State, governor Muhyi Effendie and other officials, they were informed about the situation in the Province of the North Moluccas. The situation was said to be under control, and reconciliation efforts were underway. The total of casualties is at least 2004 killed. refgees: at least 197.000. Houses destroyed: 20.000. Churches and mosques destroyed: 144. School buildings destroyed: 173. Also a not mentioned number of (other) public facilities was destroyed.On this occasion Dutch Ambassador, Mr. Schelto Baron van Heemstra, expressed the willingness of the Dutch Government to assist the Indonesian Government to end the conflict in the North Moluccas with its expertise on matters of conflict like these.   NOTE: Information in the French and Spanish languages on the situation in the Moluccas can - amog others - be found at http://www.caritas.org Crisis Centre Diocese of Amboina C.J.Böhm MSc Secretary Received via e-mail from : Crisis Centre Diocese of Amboina  Copyright © 1999-2000  - Ambon Berdarah On-Line * http://www.go.to/ambon HTML pages designed and maintained by Alifuru67 * http://www.oocities.org/alifuru67 Send your comments to alifuru67@egroups.com