CRISIS CENTRE DIOCESE OF AMBOINA
Jalan Pattimura 32 -- Ambon 97124 -- Indonesia
Tel 0062 (0)911 342195 Fax 0062 (0)911 355337
E-mail: crisiscentre01@hotmail.com
Ambon, March 31, 2003
THE SITUATION IN AMBON/MOLUCCAS - Report No. 361
1. DEMONSTRATON IN TERNATE – On www.reliefweb.int OCHA reports that two
demonstrations took place in front of the UNRC in Ternate (North Moluccas),
condemning the US attack on Iraq,. The first demonstration, that was run by the Unity
Nahdlatul Ummat Party (Partai Persatuan Nahdlatul Ummat or PPNU), took place on
March 24 with some 100 participants. The second one took place on March 25 and
was run by students from Muhammadiyah University. At the second demonstration,
the demonstrators demanded the UN to lower down its flag as a symbol that the UN
office in the North Moliccas showed its sympathy for the people in Iraq.
In Ambon there was another anti-America demonstration today. It is remarkable that it
is only muslims that engage themselves in this kind of demonstrations, involving
exclusively students.
2. CONFUSION AROUND THE RETURN OF REFUGEES – Last March 1, 108
families should have returned to their homesteads in the Tobelo area, North Moluccas.
Though many had their sparse belongings ready at the side of road, nobody seems to
care any more about them, except that food supply has been stopped according to
their departure schedule. As reason of this delay is given that some data are still
lacking, others contend that it is simply a matter of poor coordination, whereas the
Gamalama Corruption Watch in Makassar points to considerable corruption in
refugees aid funds.
In Ambon the government is preparing to return all of the registered 310 refugee
families from Namlea (island of Buru) to their original place. However, as this was
announced, no fewer than 700 families came to apply to be returned to Namlea. The
government complains that, in order to get double shares, many families apply twice:
once under Dad's name and once under Mum's name – or they use other tricks,
bringing both the government and NGO-s to despair.
3. FOREIGNERS – "There is no ban on foreigners" – thus was contended by the
Secretary General of the Moluccas, "on the contrary, we very much welcome them.
We just hope their kind understanding that this is a civil emergency area, and that
certain conditions have to be fulfilled, especially regarding the honest purpose of their
visit."
C.J.Böhm msc,
Crisis Centre Diocese of Amboina |
