JUBILEE CAMPAIGN - Press Release November 24th 2000
After recent news of forced conversions of Christians to Islam in Bacan and
Hatu-Hatumete in the Moluccas islands of eastern Indonesia, Jubilee Campaign has now
received reports of similar forced conversions in East Seram. 75 Christians in Bonvia, 215
Christians in Solan and 300 Christians in Dawang villages have been forced by Muslim
militants to change their religion to Islam. 245 Christians in Salas village are still holding
out against the pressure to convert and are now attempting to flee to safety.
Rev. Jacky Manuputty, a Moluccan pastor, is organising the evacuation of 400 Christians
from Hatu. Christians in Muslim-controlled areas of the Moluccas generally have only 3
choices, to convert to Islam, to refuse to change religion and be killed or to attempt to
run away. Fleeing can be extremely dangerous. Some christians have died of starvation
or exposure in the forests while escaping from the Muslim militants. Other Christians
have drowned after trying to flee on boats which capsized and sank because of
overcrowding.
The Islamic militants, many of whom are from other provinces of Indonesia are waging a
Jihad or so-called 'Holy War' against the Christians of the Moluccas. They are intent on
killing, converting or driving out all the Christians, thereby destroying the centuries old
Moluccan Christian community. Last week 415 new Jihad fighters arrived in Ambon,
reinforcing concerns that the Islamic fundamentalists are preparing yet another major
offensive against what's left of the Moluccan Christian community.
Moluccan Christian leaders have desperately appealed for U.N peacekeepers to be
stationed in the Moluccas because much of the Indonesian military has joined with the
Islamic militants in attacking the Christians. The Indonesian government has refused to
allow U.N intervention, while failing to ensure that the Indonesian military stop taking
sides against the Christians. The Moluccan church leaders see the UN peacekeepers as
the only neutral security force that can protect their community. About 5000 people have
died since the sectarian violence started in January 1999. More than 400 churches have
been destroyed and about 300,000 people have been
internally displaced. Jubilee Campaign's Parliamentary Officer, Wilfred Wong, says,
"These forced conversions are part of the Islamic militants' objective of totally eradicating
Christianity in the Moluccas. Sadly, the international community and the Indonesian
government appear prepared to look the other way while the Moluccan Christians are
wiped out."
If you would like to help Jubilee's campaign for Moluccan Christians, write to: Wilfred Wong,
c/o Ian Bruce MP, Room 201, Norman Shaw South, Victoria Embankment, London SW1A 2HZ.
For further information you can call Wilfred Wong on 020 7219 5129.
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