HTML pages designed & maintained by Alifuru67 Copyright © 1999/2000 - 1364283024 & 1367286044		CRISIS CENTRE DIOCESE OF AMBOINA Jalan Pattimura 32 - AMBON 97124 Tel 0062 (0)911 342195 Fax 0062 (0)911 355337 E-mail: compro@ambon.wasantara.net.id Ambon, September 5, 2000 THE SITUATION IN AMBON / MOLUCCAS - Report no. 49  Download this document for MS Word 97  The (muslim) local newspaper "Ambon Express" - according to "Suara Maluku" - assumes that the now destroyed Faculty of Technics and the Polytechnic Practice unit of the Pattimura University was being used by "a certain group" (read: christians) to manufacture weapons. The Rector of the Pattimura University, Prof.Dr. Mus Huliselan (a christian) denies this categorically and calls it a kind of conspiration to besmirch the reputation of this university. The Tabligh Akbar ("official lecture") by the leader of the Jihad Communication Forum Ahlus Sunnah Wal' Jamaah, Ustad Jaffar Umar Tahlib, in the Ambon Al-Fatah Mosque on September 3, which was broadcasted on Radio Gema Suara Muslim 99, 7FM (see Report 48 no.3) provoked widespread reaction. The reaction (of the christians) generally is incredulity how-on-earth it is possible that such apparent provocation can go unpunished. On that day, the governor and the military and police chief commanders were in Jakarta, and they have not returned up to now. According to "Suara Maluku", the governor gave instructions to exert the needed coordination first, then to wait for his arrival back in Ambon. This coordination meanwhile has been done by vice governor Dra. Paula B. Renyaan with military, police and juridical authorities, i.e. by investigating on this Radio Station's (Gema Suara Muslim) license to broadcast. The head of this Radio Station will be "invited" to clarify on the background of that much talked about Tabligh Akbar. The Christian/Muslim delegation which had a meeting with President Gus Dur at his request (see Report 48 no.1) on September 2, declared on a press conference in Jakarta that UN presence in the Moluccas is the only possible way to put an end to the conflict, the violence and destruction and to pave the way for reconciliation. This presence is visualized in four ways: (1) Humanitarian Aid, (2) International Observer, (3) Peace Keeping Mission and (4) Independent Investigation Team. The Indonesian government will prove its credibility in the eyes of the world, if it allows all of these four activities to take place in the Moluccas. Meanwhile two "grass-root" leaders of the spontaneous local christian "defense forces", Agus Wattimena and Emang Nikijuluw clarified to "Siwalima" newspaper about some topics like: Any reconciliation efforts are impossible as long as the jihad warriors are still in the Moluccas. It is clear enough that the jihads have not come for social and humanitarian purposes, but only to make war on the christians. It also has been sufficiently demonstrated that they are being used by the military to annihilate the christian quarters in Ambon. It is already one month ago that the governor as the responsible for the civil emergency state ordered the military chief commander, I Made Yasa, to send away those who have no business in Ambon (read: the jihad warriors). But up to now hardly any of them have left. I Made Yasa confessed to the press some time ago, that he was thinking about what way to send them home. Now the supreme leader of the jihad forces, Jaffar Umar Tahlib, has come to Ambon, not to enhance reconciliation but, on the contrary, instigate the muslims to continue waging war on the christians in order to take over the town of Ambon, according to his own words (see Report 48 no.3). Those who are responsible for the civil emergency state, should have the courage to arrest this man and bring him to justice as a war criminal. The deputation that recently left for Jakarta (see Report 48 no.1 and supra no.3): who do they in fact represent? Where are the representatives of Buru, Ceram and other regions that have been destroyed? Where are those who have actually witnessed and experienced slaughter? CRISIS CENTRE DIOCESE OF AMBOINA, Msgr Jos Tethool MSC Auxiliary Bishop of Amboina C.J.B Fohm MSC Secretary Received via e-mail from: Ambon-AusAID Copyright © 1999-2000  - Ambon Berdarah On-Line * http://go.to/ambon HTML pages designed and maintained by Alifuru67 * http://www.oocities.org/ambon67 Send your comments to alifuru67@egroups.com