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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 26, 2000 THE SITUATION IN AMBON / MOLUCCAS Report no. 83 MEETING WITH CONSUL GENERAL USA - The Consul General of the USA, based in Surabaya, together with the second Secretary of the political Section of the USA Embassy at Jakarta, Ms. Victoria A. Alvaredo, together with another official, had several meetings in Ambon on October 24 (see Report 82 no.1). A visit to the refugees camp at the naval base of Halong had to be cancelled for reasons of safety. The Consul General, Mr. Robert A.Pollard, who speaks Indonesian fluently, met with representatives of the Muslim Community, the Protestants and the Catholics. We restrict ourselves to report on the meeting with the catholics. Since the bishop was still in Kei, Pastor Agus Ulahaiyanan, chairman of the Crisis Centre of the Diocese of Amboina, welcomed the deputation. The meeting was held together with seven members of the catholic community in the bishop's house. Mr. Pollard expressed his disappointment that in various reports on national and international level, the suffering of the christians due to the conflict, was insufficiently exposed. As a consequence the conflict in the Moluccas was mainly looked upon as savagery of christians towards muslims, whereas in fact both sides equally endure casualties, damage and other suffering. This unbalanced reporting evokes antipathy among the muslims outside the Moluccas towards non-muslim Moluccans and triggers eagerness to wage a jihad on the christians in the Moluccas. He further stressed the importance of a sincere dialogue between the conflicting parties, without any preconditions. He even declared his personal readiness to act as a mediator in this dialogue. He also stated that the USA is opposed to any official international intervention to end the conflict, for this could bring about escalation of the conflict instead of ending it.   AGAIN CONFLICT ON SAPARUA - On October 24 unrest flared up again on the island of Saparua, east of Ambon island. The conflict started at about 6.00 p.m. between on one side Sirisori Islam and on the other side the christian villages of Ulath and Ouw. Twelve people from Ulath and Ouw and two people from Sirisori Islam were injured, of whom five seriously. Most of the villagers, especially old people, women and children fled to safety. It is not yet clear how this conflict started. A military company of the Yonif 407 was despatched from Ambon to the location. Due to limited communication facilities nothing definite can be reported yet on the present situation in the area.   TWELVE JIHAD FIGHTERS ARRESTED - On the holy day of Isra Mi'raj Nabi Muhammad SAW, October 25, from 1.00 a.m. to 3.00 a.m. a nocturnal attack was launched by muslim/jihad forces on targets at the western outskirts of the town of Ambon, namely on Gunung Nona (which means Maiden Mountain), where the TV-Station is located, Benteng Atas (Upper Benteng) and Airsalobar. The attacks were initiated from the nearby muslim enclave of Pohon Mangga. Security forces repulsed the assailants and immediately carried out sweeping. Twelve people were arrested because carrying various kinds of both military and home-made weaponry and other combat facilities, such as bulletproof vests, grenades and grenade launchers, jerrycans of petrol etc. All of them were non-Moluccans aging 18 - 23, coming from Bogor, Yogyakarta, Jakarta, Madiun, Solo, Bandung, Cilacap (places on Java), Medan and Nganjuk.   ACCUSATION OF MALTREATMENT - The arrest of the twelve Laskar Jihad caused commotion among the muslims, for rumours were spread that the twelve were seriously maltreated, beaten, stripped of their clothes etc. These facts were publicly announced at the Al-Fatah Mosque. Consequently there were muslim demonstrations and gathering of muslim masses in Ambon and also in several places on the opposite shore of the bay, namely in Waiheru and Kota Jawa. At Wayame a merchant's large petrol storages were attacked (we have no information about the result of this attack). Also christian speedboats on their way from Benteng to Galala v.v. were shot at, whereby one person was wounded. A house in Airsalobar was burned down. Asked about the alleged maltreatment of the detained laskar jihad, Colonel Infantery Agus Suyitno answered that there will be made investigation to this end. If needed, a meeting of those twelve with religious and civil authorities can be arranged. He was of the opinion that the arrest of these jihad warriors was misused by provocators to rouse mass emotions. 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