MISNA - Missionary Service News Agency, 28/4/2003 11:46
Indonesia
Moluccas: Difficult Reconciliation In Kasui
Church/Religious Affairs, Standard
One may remember the Islamisation that -- starting towards the end of November
2000 -- took place on Kasui, a small island South-East of Seram island, involving
some 800 Christians.
Their forced Islamisation became world news then. Last February, a JRS team (Jesuit
Refugee Service), stationed in Ambon, went there to see whether the situation could
be considered safe enough for the Christians -- most of whom now live as refugees
spread over a number of villages on the island of Kei Kecil -- to return to their
homesteads at Kasui.
The Crisis Centre Diocese of Amboina reports to MISNA that parish priest, Fr. Joseph
Kuda Makin met with local Muslim Raja-s ("Kings") and a delegation of Christian
Kasui refugees from Kei Kecil on several occasions.
The talks were held under the supervision of the Bupati (precinct chief) of the Central
Moluccas, Ir. Abdullah Tuasikal, in Masohi, capital of the Central Moluccas.
One of the discussed topics was the demand by the Muslims that the Christians
should apologize for their making it worldwide known that they had been Islamized.
The Christians were reluctant to make such a bold apology, but they agreed to a
general admission of guilt, especially that they had returned to the Christian faith.
After much discussion, all of those present agreed on a ten-point statement, in which
among other things was asserted that both parties (Muslims and Christians) agreed to
forgive each other and to return to living together in peace.
The Bupati then was requested to go and visit Kasui Island first, in order to ascertain
that indeed nobody there objected to this agreement.
Now the only obstacle to restoring normal relations between the two parties may be
the stance of the only Muslim chief that was not present at the meeting, i.e. the
village head of Tamher Warat, who is notoriously anti-Christian. [BP]
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