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 Ambon, January 5, 2001 THE SITUATION IN AMBON / MOLUCCAS - Report no. 120   INTERNAL CONFLICT AMONG CHRISTIANS – In the afternoon of Wednesday January 3, there arose a conflict between christian youngsters at a “play station” in the neighbourhood of Batugantung-Dalam, Ambon. The conflict escalated in the evening, leaving one young man killed, one wounded and one house burned down.   FLOATING SECURITY STATIONS – In our Report 107 no.4 – December 13, 2000 – we reported that the Navy would establish ten floating security stations in the Bay of Ambon, to ensure safe passage for speedboats and other watercraft. Up to now only one station has been effectuated.   ISLAMISATION ON THE ISLANDS OF KESUI AND TEOR – A muslim lawyer from Ambon, Abdullah Wattimena SH, published in “Siwalima” newspaper of January 4, his interpretation of the islamisation of christians on the islands of Kesui and Teor. He maintains that these christians have become islam of their own free will, because – he writes – “Islam teaching says that no one can be forced to become muslim. This avowal is strictly maintained without exception”. One of the victims, Konstantinus Idi, now a refugee in Ambon, retorts in today’s “Siwalima” that Abdullah Wattimena’s statement is totally untrue. Konstantinus reports that since September 2000, muslim delegates were coming to them: Jakaria Esserey from Sumelang, Kasim Rumakur from Rumadurun, Ali Rumakur, chief of the village of Ampera and several others, telling them that they should convert to islam. If not, the jihads would come and destroy their villages. Christians refused, resulting in them being attacked near the end of November.   CONCISE HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY ON THE ISLANDS OF KESUI AND TEOR - In his article, Abdullah Wattimena also says: “It has been proved that the ancestors of the christians on Kesui and Teor were muslim, but christian evangelists tricked them to become christian. Is it their fault that now they want to return to their forefathers’ religion?…” What are the facts? In 1992 the Dutch catholic missiology expert Dr. P.G.H.Schreurs MSC published a book “Terug in het Erfgoed van Franciscus Xaverius / Het herstel van de katholieke missie in Maluku, 1886-1960” (“Coming back to the inheritance of Francis Xavier, the restauration of the catholic Mission in the Moluccas, 1886-1960” – also translated in Indonesian). On page 95 sqq. is recorded that a Dutch Jesuit priest, Father Le Cocq d’Armandville SJ, who was stationed at Bomfia in East Ceram, in 1893 went on an expedition to Kesui, where never before a christian minister had been. On June 28, 1893, he wrote in the magazine “Berichten uit Nederlandsch Oost-Indië” about his experience on that island. He found that there were already many muslims there. Among the remaining heathens many opened their hearts for the Gospel and he baptized 33 of them. The Apostolic Vicar (bishop) of Batavia (Jakarta) then sent Father W.Hellings SJ and Brother J.Zinken SJ to Kesui on March 10, 1894. However after some time there arose repeatedly conflict between the muslims and the catholic community, so that Father Hellings was called back to forestall further unrest. Now Father van der Heyden, who was stationed at the nearby Kei Islands then, went there from time to time, until at last he, too, was ordered (either by the Apostolic Vicar or by the Dutch Government) to keep away from Kesui and Teor. The catholics of Kesui and Teor did not see a priest between about 1898 up to 1931, when at last the situation had become sufficiently conducive for being administered again by the priests, who regularly came on visits up to now, first from the Kei Islands, later on from Masohi (Ceram). It is almost a miracle that for a period of more than thirty years these catholics held on to their religion without ever being visited by a priest. C.J.Böhm MSc, Secretary of Crisis Centre Diocese of Amboina 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/maluku67 Send your comments to alifuru67@egroups.com