The Jakarta Post, December 19, 2005
Students promote tolerance
Over 90 Muslim residents of Ambon living in temporary shelters for displaced persons
in Waihaong park in conflict-torn Maluku showed up for free medical checkups on
Sunday.
The event was organized by students from the Indonesian Christian University of
Maluku in a move to show solidarity and religious tolerance, as well as to pave the
way for reconciliation following the numerous sectarian conflicts that erupted in 1999.
The spokesperson of the student group, Stevi Nanuru, said the event was done in
hopes of building stronger relations between Muslims and Christians in the city.
"Following the conflict, residential areas were designated either Christian or Muslim
with many of the displaced Muslims taking refuge in Waihaong park. We hope that
this event can pave the path to strong reconciliation," Stevi said.
For the free checkups, the first held by the university for Muslims, the university
worked in coordination with the Waihaong community health center, which assisted
with medical workers.
Head of the Waihaong community health center, Wendy Pattisahusiwa, said the
residents enthusiastically welcomed the free checkups.
In Waihaong, the residents, from infants to senior residents, mostly suffer from
breathing problems, skin diseases and chronic coughs due to poor health conditions
in the park. (JP/M. Aziz Tuni)
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