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Masariku Testimony 6
TESTIMONY OF THE VICTIMS OF ISLAMIZATION IN THE VILLAGE OF
Lata-lata, SUB-DISTRICT OF BACAN – NORTH MOLUCCAS
- Provided by Masariku Network -
1. Marnes Garera
Age : 20 years
Inhabitant of Lata-Lata {Evacuated to Benteng Atas - Ambon}
Occupation : Farmer
Islamic Name : Mahdi Garera
2. Notje Maici
Age :18 years
Inhabitant of Lata-Lata { Evacuated to Benteng Atas - Ambon}
Occupation : Farmer
Islamic Name : Mukaram Maici.
3. Gaspar Jumate
Age : 19 years
Inhabitant of Lata-Lata { Evacuated to Benteng Atas- Ambon}
Occupation : Farmer
Islamic Name : ..........
A few weeks before the attack the neighbouring villages which Muslim such as Bokimiake, Sidanga, Hatijawa, Bosuwa had presented a letter to the head of the Lata-Lata village stating that no attack would take place. They even made a commitment that they would look after the security situation in the area. However one day before Lata-Lata was attacked Adrius Cerenge, a villager from lata-Lata who went to buy some cigarettes in the village of Sidanga saw the jihad forces congregating there. He returned to his village by dug out canoe to let the people know what he had seen. After hearing this news the people of Lata-Lata quickly tried to prepare themselves in whatever way they. On Saturday 05th February 2000, at around 13.00 the attacking masses arrived at Lata-Lata both from the direction of the mountains and also from the beach. Generally the mob were seen to be wearing long robes white or green in colour. Slogans in Arab Script were seen on their clothes and head bands. There was a deafening noise consisting of people shouting alahu akbar mixed with the sounds of bombs exploding and the sound of organic weapons and home made guns. About 6,000 people were in the mob that attacked the. When the attack was taking place women, children and pensioners ran towards the forests without considering the roughness of the path they had to take. In the mean time the men tried to defend their position while slowly retreating towards the forest. There was no other option but to retreat and try to protect the women, children and pensioners, because the number of attackers outnumbered the number of inhabitants of Lata-Lata. The attacks used stand police and army issued weapons and home made bombs, plus other weapons. They attacked from the direction of the sea with 28 speed boats landing on the beach. Besides the speed boats they also used 3 large boats that are identified as coming from the sub-district of Kayoa. Two of the boats could be identified they were Senantiasa 5 & Senantiasa 6.
Many of the attackers had the attributes of outsiders, many wore long beards. Several of the attckers were identified including Mail from Tidore, Lut froml Bosowa. The attack continued 18.00. By then we had all fled to the forests. After the attack was over it became known that 39people had been murdered, and others were had shot wounds or wounds from splinters from the bombs. Among those who died were Aplemon Faici, Marthen Gama, Lunas Tuepo, Juan Safati, Anelce Cerenge, Nonci Garera, Rike Garera who was 08 years old and had been hacked to pieces, Ois Faici, including others. In this incident children from the village of Waringin were captured and slaughtered at Lata-Lata. Their parents had already fled to the forests. All the corpses were collected near the water tank. Then the soldiers from Brawijaya 511battalyon, who had just arrived after the attack was over, ordered the bodies to be taken to the graveyard for burial. All the bodies were buried in 3 large pits that were prepared by the local people. The bodies were buried without any religious service because the situation made it impossible for a service to take place. After the attack, the attackers searched Rev. Pattiasina. They asked my uncle, but he replied that he didn’t know anything. Then they stressed that if he still didn’t know he would be tortured. Then they searched for him along the cape. They had already spotted him by the river but they pretended that they hadn’t seen him. Baha from Bokimiake, who had already seen him, mocked me by saying that it was my godfather. Baha knew the minister quite well because he had often visited Lata-Lata. At that moment coincidentally Rev. Pattiasina wanted to go to the toilet when he was discovered by Baha. Immediately Baha shouted so that the minister wouldn’t run away, if he continued to run they would cleanse the village. Sabada from Bokimiake village threw a bomb. Rev Pattiasina was then taken to a neighbouring Muslim village to be hacked to pieces and killed. It is evident that Sabada and Baha and several others were involved in the murder. Some people witnessed the minister being captured but they were too afraid to protest. The witnesses who saw the minister being captured included Garera {father of Marnes Garera} and Nambong Toepo.
Those of us who fled to the forest and ate whatever we could find especially bananas and coconuts On Sunday we held a worship service in the forest and on Monday we came out of the forest to find nails and used sheets of corrugated iron to build emergency housing. When we arrived in the village we saw a boat arriving from our neighbouring village of Bokimiake. They dropped anchor by the shore and the village chief from Bokimiake called for the village chief of Lata-Lata to come aboard the boat.They held a conversation on the boat, and then the boat. On returning the the village chief of Lata-Lata itold us that they came insisted that we became Muslims. If we refused, then they would return and cleanse the village of Lata-Lata. It was clear that all of us would be slaughtered. There was a great discussion on whether we should defend ourselves or do what they asked. The elders deliberated and made the decision that it was better if we did what they asked, but not with our whole hearts. This decision was made based on the fact that the position of the island made it impossible for us to escape. The next day they returned to ask us what our decision was , and we told them that we had decided to do what they wanted. Straight away the chief of Bokimiake village went to Labuha to report that all the villagers Lata-Lata were ready to become Muslims.
A few days later they drove us out of the forest and set up a few. We were then bathed to cleanse us from our dirt. When we were bathed we were told that we had to get rid of the dirt of pigs, dogs and other things. Among other things they told us that Christians were filthy. To enter church, still wearing shoes ws a dirty religion. To sing in the church accompanied by a guitar showed a religion that was not. To eat pork or dogs meat was unclean. After we were bathed we were told that they could see that a light had descended on each one of us. Then they taught us to recite the two sentences of syahadat (creed), yang which mean: there is no lord but Allah, and Mohamed is the messenger of Allah. After this they prepared us to be circumcised. I forget the date, but I remember that it was in the month of February. There was a mass circumcision. Several haji came, including haji John from Bacan. At that time many muslims from oversaw the ceremony. Also the security forces from 511 infantry battalion Brawijaya. Generally they arrived from Labuha. On the day of the mass circumcision 6 doctors were on duty to perform the act. They came from Labuha with information that two of the doctors came from Malaysia . Three of the other doctors originated from Java. These three were usually called Dr Rudy, Dr Supirman, and Dr Vina {female}. The other doctor was from Bacan, and is known as Dr Mato. Besides the doctors , we also knew the paramedic Azhar from the village of Bosuwa who helped in the process of circumcision. There were also two doctors from Jakarta seemed to be soldiers because they wore camouflage. Because there were 6 doctors on hand, 6 people were circumcised at once.
The mass circumcisions took place in the village meeting place , which had not been totally destroyed in the attack. They called each person in turn to be circumcised. When we ourselves were called we were told to drop our trousers and lie on the bed. Our genitals were then injected with anaesthetic to dull the pain. Then the end of our genitals were cut with a doctor’s instrument and then cleaned up. We heard that the women were also circumcised, only with a different method. Generally they were told to lie on the straw mat when they entered the village meeting place and then their genitals were cleansed and then their clitoris was cut off using a razor blade. Around 200 women were circumcised at that time. Old white haired pensioners were also circumcised and also the. The population of Lata-Lata is around 1500 people. There are 268 families. We know this from when they distributed rice and the village secretary has this. After we were circumcised we were all given Muslim names that were announced in front of the army guard post. My father’s name {Marnes} was changed to Abdul Karim Garera. Whilst my mother’s name was changed Nurhajijah. The Muslim names were given by the person in charge of religious affairs from the religious affairs office in the sub-district of Labuha. The Head of the sub-district only arrived at the time of the prayer for blessing after the circumcisions. He brought with him 3 cows to be used to celebrate the mass. A few days later some people experienced infections and were taken to the hospital in Labuha. Amongst these were Rudy, Nelson, Arni, Rones etc. Some had to be treated for as long as two months. They were also taught the right way to pray, first of all by reciting verses of praise (takbir). After the mass circumcisions the people were remarried in a mass marriage service using Muslim rites. After the circumcisions some of the security forces recommended that we should not eat fish or vegetables. While the doctors themselves recommended that we should eat them. Because of them many of us did not eat fish or vegetables for two weeks.
We three decided to escape from Lata-Lata with the excuse that we wanted to find. We asked for a letter giving permission from the village secretary and the security forces ARMED 11 who were on duty there. We took a ship to Ternate on 30th January 2001, which arrived at Ternate on 1st February. From there we took a dredger to Bitung-North Sulawesi. From there we went on to Ambon. When we wished to leave Lata-Lata our parents told us to work well and save as much money as possible. So that we could collect our family members one by one so that they could Lata-Lata. The village secretary also reminded us that we should try in whatever way possible to help evacuate all the people Lata-Lata. This hope was expressed because the people there do not like being forced to become Muslims against their will . Usually on Sundays they take it in turns to hold Christian worship services in the plantations group by group or family by family. They have to take this way out because in the village they are not allowed to perform Christian services because of the Muslim religious teacher and the presence of the armed forces. The community has been ordered to build a mosque by the Muslim preachers who come to Lata-Lata from Labuha. It is planned that the Mosque will be built in. Besides the village of Lata-Lata the ten families who live in the hamlet of Waringin have also been forced to become Muslims. They have been moved to the Muslim village of Imbo-Imbo. Also part of the village of Geti have been forced to become Muslims. The people of the village of Lata-Lata are waiting to be picked up and are ready to leave Lata-Lata. We don’t know to whom we have to place our hope in, but we pray that there is somebody out there who will help us.
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