HTML pages designed & maintained by Alifuru67 Copyright © 1999/2000 - 1364283024 & 1367286044		Want to Help? 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 THE SITUATION IN AMBON / MOLUCCAS Report no. 147 1. DELEGATION FROM THE NETHERLANDS VISITS AMBON On March 12 a delegation with religious background arrived at Ambon. This delegation, which intends to stay in Ambon up to March 16, consists of representatives of the Dutch interfaith Moluccan organisation Hain , the Dutch Council of Mosques, and the Global Ministries of the Uniting Churches in the Netherlands. Since last November they have joined their actons for the population of the Moluccas as a whole in the so-called Aksi Selamat . This delegation meanwhile has visited government and religious leaders and has had talks with various organisations that are involved in reconciliation efforts and humanitarian aid to the victims of violence. Also several refugees sites have been visited. 2. CONFUSING DECLARATION GUS DUR One of the reasons put forward by Abdurrahman Wahid alias Gus Dur not to resign as the Presiden of the Republic of Indonesia is the danger of his resigning might cause desintegration of the nation: Provinces like Aceh, Moluccas and Papua will proclaim independence, he said. Political leaders in Ambon are astonished to learn such allegation. John Mailoa, vice chairperson of the Provincial Legislative Council (DPRD Maluku) declared to newspaper Suara Maluku that Gus Dur is just trying to find support. For there is no intention what-so-ever among the Moluccans to establish an independent nation. The same was said by Richard Louhenapessy, chairperson of the Golkar Party fraction of the DPRD Maluku. He said, that since the Moluccas went along with other regions giving birth to the Republic of Indonesia, they now will not segregate. He, too, deplored Gus Dur s statement. 3. INVOLVEMENT OF FOREIGN COUNTRIES During an interview by Antara news agency, the R.C. Bishop of Amboina, Msgr. P.C.Mandagi, called on the Indonesian Government not to feel ashamed of asking for assistance by foreign countries in matters of security and politics, in order to forestall any disintegration of the nation. There are evil forces at work in this country, he said. Indonesia asks for assistance of the IMF in the economic field; why should not it do the same in the fields of security and politics? These evil forces , under disguise of religious discord, apparently have moved now to Sampit/Palangkaraya. Who guarantees that they will no go on to Java and elsewhere, trying to disrupt the whole nation? C.J.Böhm MSc, Secretary of Crisis Centre Diocese of Amboina Received via e-mail from : Crisis Centre Diocese of Amboina Copyright © 1999-2001  - Ambon Berdarah On-Line * http://www.go.to/ambon HTML pages designed and maintained by Alifuru67 * http://www.oocities.org/maluku67 Send your comments to alifuru67@egroups.com