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, May 7, 2002
THE SITUATION IN AMBON / MOLUCCAS – Report No. 278
1. FURTHER DISTURBANCE IN AMBON FOLLOWING JAFAR’S ARREST –
During the evening and night of last Saturday, May 4, following the arrest of Jafar
Umar Thalib at Surabaya Airport, the situation in Ambon was tense. In the various
Christian quarters of the city of Ambon many roadblocks were erected (barbed wire,
empty barrels, stones, pieces of wood etc.) to obstruct or at least to slow down any
unwanted entering of the areas by unfriendly masses. The whole night long the sound
of exploding bombs and mortars was heard. For some reason especially the Setiabudi
Road became target of mortir launchers. For the third time within a few weeks the Silo
church was burned, causing minor damage to the unfinished two story building. Two
males (18 and 50 – inclusive the one we mentioned in our 5 May report) were killed,
22 people were wounded, in most cases by mortar scraps. Five rioters were arrested.
2. ARRESTS – Three people suspected of playing an active role in the burning of the
Governor’s administration office last April 3, have been detained. Their names have
not been revealed yet.
3. UNSUCCESSFUL ATTACK ON CHRISTIAN VILLAGES – The christian villages of
Amahusu and Eri lie on the northern coast of the southern peninsula of the island of
Ambon, about 15-20 km S.W. of the city of Ambon. There are only a few security
forces stationed there, because the area is considered to be tucked away safely in a
completely christian area. However, yesterday, at about 04.00 a.m., two speedboats
drew near the site shielded by the darkness, probably with the intention to drop
anchor at the about 4 km long sparsely populated stretch between both villages.
When they were discovered by the civilian nightwatch and shot at, the terrorists
withdrew emptying their guns on those on the shore, fortunately without causing any
casualties or significant damage. It is remarkable that those terrorists have a virtually
exclusive preference for christians as targets of their actions.
4. AMBON CALM – During the last couple of days (Sunday and Monday, May 5-6)
the situation in Ambon is relatively calm, but Muslim vendors still suffer due to the
absence of Christian clients. Security forces are constantly in full alert.
Both military chief commander Brig.Gen.Mustopo and Assistence Team spokesman
Syamsiar (see Report 273), when interviewed by local reporters, declared – to the
relief of many citizens – that they, too, were opposed to replacing the Civil
Emergency State by Military Emergency State in Ambon.
Every evening on the local 9.00 p.m. TV news bulletin, there is life contact by phone
with a Moluccas reporter or a member of one of both Councils (Provincial and Urban)
that are in Jakarta now and have already succeeded in holding preparing meetings
with several high functionaries.
C.J.Böhm msc,
Crisis Centre Diocese of Amboina
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