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: comamq@ambon.wasantara.net.id Ambon, April 25, 2001 THE SITUATION IN AMBON / MOLUCCAS Report no. 164 1. EXPLOSION CAUSES FIVE KILLED Premature explosion of a bomb late afternoon last Sunday, April 22, caused the death of five Laskar Jihads. Two others were seriously injured. Local newspapers report on a kind of molotov cocktail being assembled at the neighbourhood of muslim dominated Ahuru at the outskirts of the town of Ambon, when unexpectely it exploded. Immediate investigation of local military security forces resulted in the uncovering of a nest of illegal weaponry and ammunition and various chemical stuff, including a number of military boots and all kinds of other odds. Also were found a number of religious books on Islam Teaching and on Muslimat Victory, a number of T-shirts on which was printed Laskar Mudjahidin . Further were found instruction books on how to be a jihad and an instruction book on how to assemble a bomb. A military spokesman could not confirm whether these Laskar Mudjahidin have anything to do with the well-known Mudjahidin in other countries. 2. NO DISTURBANCE ON APRIL 25 On this April 25, 2001, it is 51 years ago that the Republik Maluku Selatan (Republic of the South Moluccas) was proclaimed as an independent nation. It is also 50 years ago that its government went into exile in the Netherlands. Their aspirations have never been fulfilled, their ideal even has been extinct in the Moluccas themselves since many years now. These South Moluccas in fact encompassed only the islands of Ambon and its small neighbours: the islands of Haruku, Nusa Laut and Saparua, maybe perhaps also some parts of the island of Ceram. But the RMS was never popular in de South East Moluccas, like the Tanimbar- and Kei Islands. The RMS had/has no connection with any particular religion, but de facto the majority of its adherents were christians, who initially might have been afraid of a muslim dominated Republic of Indonesia. The Laskar Jihad since their arrival in the Moluccas almost one year ago, have never stopped to mark the christians with the seal RMS-separatists to justify their presence in the Moluccas as being of national importance. Now there were rumours that on this 25th April the RMS flag would be put out in all christian neighbourhoods. And in fact the FMK (Front Kedaulatan Maluku) without identifying itself with the RMS asked permission from the Governor to honour the RMS in this way. However, no permission was granted. Meanwhile the christians were afraid that there would be unfriendly elements intruding during the night, planting RMS flags in christian neighbourhoods, so most christian males were on the watch all night long. It is 02.00 pm now, and no hoisting of RMS flag has been reported up to now. However, many people abstain from their daily activities today, either because they need their rest or because they are afraid that something will happen today, especially since the jihads have proved to be well prepared for continuing the conflict (see no. 1 of this report). 3. ISLAMISATION IN SALAS The forced islamisation of a number of christians at Salas is still being talked about in the massmedia. Salas is a village on the north-eastern coast of the island of Ceram, not far from Bula. The parish priest of Masohi, regional capital on the south coast of Ceram, Father Jos Kuda Makin SVD, has repeatedly protested against this forced islamisation, but nobody ever paid heed to his call for justice. The islamisation of christians there started with the villages of Dawang Dua, Solang and Gompia being attacked on January 9 and 10, 2000, causing the local christians to flee to Salas. On July 22, 2000, the village of Salas on its turn was rocked by violence, so all christians fled for safety to the nearby mountains. However, security forces came and persuaded the christians to come to Bula. There they were given shelter at the multi-purpose building (Gedung Serba Guna) and at the military compound. However, there was not any protection for the christians there. Muslims came and forced the christians to abjure their christian faith and come over to islam. Local authorities and security forces are blamed for their assuring the outside world that the Bula case had properly been handled . Father Yos Kuda Makin SVD from the paraish of Masohi and Father Joseph Haas MHM from the parish of Bula now have again protested that nothing is being done to investigate on this case. They even put the total of disappeared christians from the area on 600. They put the blame on the passive attitude of the Bupati (highest governmental chief) of the Central Moluccas, Mr.Rudolf Rukka, who holds the religious leaders of the area responsible to solve the case. Meanwhile it is said that the Governor of the Moluccas, Dr.Ir.M.Saleh Latuconsina has established a team to investigate on this case, led by Mr. Muhammad Elly. Asked by Siwalima daily, Mr. Elly confessed that up to now he has not yet received formal instruction to this end. NOTE: Those who want to send e-mail to us, please phone or fax us, and ask for an alternative e-mail address. Thank you. 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