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. 279
1. POLITICAL ASYLUM – A large picture of the bishop, Msgr. P.C.Mandagi, adorns
the front page of today’s local “Suara Maluku” newspaper with the headline “The
christian community will ask for political asylum”. This somewhat disturbing news
item had been quoted a little inaccurataely, but nevertheless was his ultimate
conclusion if the Military Emergency State would be applied to Ambon. Mgr. Mandagi
fears that, if this system is to be carried out by an immoral, unjust and corrupt
government that puts own ambitions above common welfare, an ethnic cleansing
might be the result. “In that case” – he said – “we hope that large vessels will be
ready in the bay of Ambon to take the population of the Moluccas out of here”. Msgr.
Mandagi, together with several other Church leaders, is now in Jakarta to assist the
Town’s Council in its discussions with national government authorities.
2. CONTROVERSY AROUND THE ARREST OF JAFAR – The arrest of Jihad leader
Jafar Umat Thalib in Surabaya last May 4, has evoked emotional reactions from
certain Muslim groups and factions nationwide. In Ambon itself it may have been the
principal cause of the various destructive terrorist actions towards Christians during
the last few days.
Asked for his opinion, however, Assistance Team spokesman Syamsiar (see Report
273) said that the police had been correct in capture this man. Ambon citizens that
do not agree – he said – need some time and befitting clarification, so they will
understand.
Governor Mohamad Saleh Latuconsina, Civil Emergency administrator of the
Moluccas, when meeting with news reporters, blamed the national newsmedia, most
of all the electronic media, to have blown up the case of Jafar’s arrest inproportionally
and in an unbalanced and discriminative way. On national level it is being displayed
as if only Jafar Umar Thalib is under arrest; however, two FKM separatistic leaders
and 15 of their followers had already been arrested in Ambon much earlier. He asked
specifically the SCTV (Surabaya based commercial TV) not only to report on the
arrest of Jafar Umar Thalib but also to cover the detainment and judicial process on
FKM leader Dr. Alex Manuputty, which is going on in Ambon now.
In an SOS letter d.d. April 29, 2002, signed by the leaders of 12 Christian Churches of
Ambon – including the Catholic Church – addressed to the Secretary General of the
United Nations, is said: “Under the pretext of fighting the RMS separatists, which in
fact is a very small group of people who even do not have any weapons, the innocent
Christians are under constant attack again”. Likewise a day earlier an extensive
letter was sent to the President of the Republic of Indonesia by the same Church
leaders.
3. SWEEPING POSTPONED – In connection with the actual unstable situation in the
city of Ambon, house-to-house sweeping on weaponry is adjourned. (Had not the
people of Soya surrendered their weapons, they might have had a chance to defend
themselves when their village was attacked. Had the people of Eri surrendered their
weapons, the fate of their village might have been like Soya’s…).
4. ACTIVITIES OF THE MOLUCCAS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES IN JAKARTA
– The 45 member Provincial House of Representatives this morning met with Vice
President Hamzah Haz. Among other matters, the need of immediate realization of
the promised independent National Investigation Team was stressed. This team is
meant to investigate on all hapless events since the unrest in the Moluccas started on
January 19, 1999. Also the common refusal of the effectuation of the military
emergency state in the Moluccas was put forth. Commenting on the former item,
Hamzah Haz promised that within short the team would be established. Expounding
on the latter item, he said that it was never the Central Government’s plan to replace
the Civil Emergency State by the Military Emergency State: “It was just outsiders
that wanted that change of strategy”, he said.
Following the meeting with the Vice President, the Moluccan delegates had an
encouraging meeting with the Minister of Welfare (“Menko Kesra”), Jusuf Kalla, who
will be responsible for the National Investigation Team that is being composed and will
consist of both Muslim and Christian non-Moluccans.
For tomorrow are planned meetings with the Minister for Political and Security Affairs
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, with Supreme Police Commander General Da’i
Bachtiar, with Indonesian Military (TNI) Chief Adm. Widodo A.S. and with House
Speaker Akbar Tanjung.
5. SCREAM OF THE WOMEN – Sister Brigitta Renyaan asked us to disperse an
English translation of the letter that was sent by the “Concerned Women’s
Movement” (GPP = Gerakan Perempuan Peduli) to the Indonesian Government in
Jakarta, and to various other obvious persons and institutions, including “Women’s
Organisations in the whole world”. For that reason we provide here the complete text
as follows:
SCREAM OF THE WOMEN (Jeritan Derita Kaum Perempuan)
Ambon, May 4, 2002
(1) The Concerned Women’s Movement expresses its most sincere condolence to
the residents of the village of Soya on the slaughtering of eleven of their fellow
residents. Most fittingly the deceased are called victims of slaughter, because they
did not die as a result of warfare, but as the result of a one-sided attack on women,
children and other citizens while they were asleep.
(2) It is most hurting to perceive that 75% of those slaughtered were women, including
two helpless female babies. What we want to ask is: why were these innocent women
and babies murdered? Were they involved in any forbidden political movement? Did
they obstruct the State so that they had to be killed?
(3) We convey this scream of the people: based on the loyalty to the undivided
Republic of Indonesia and their support of the Malino Agreement, these women
admonished their men to voluntarily surrender their weapons. This obedience sadly
turned out to have a high price on it.
(4) We state that this brutal carnage – especially because aimed at women and
children – is a hideous crime against human rights, which should not be tolerated by
civilized and in God believing people.
(5) That this butchering of innocent women, children and others, is an offense of
human rights that cannot possibly be tolerated by the government of the undivided
Republic of Indonesia.
(6) That no reason whatsoever, be it religion motivated or by motivation of maintaining
national unity, can justify any group of persons to slaughter fellow human beings,
especially if those are innocent women and children. Thus these criminals must be
brought to court.
(7) We still trust that the military and police are institutions that guarantee the
people’s security and safety and maintain the national independence. Therefore we
demand them to restore their image by acting honestly, professionally and
transparant in guaranteeing security for all.
(8) We also are convinced that the Law still can be upheld in this our Indonesia. So
we request that those responsible for law and order, act accordingly in honest,
professional and unyielding way, without any discrimination.
(9) Don’t let the Indonesian civilians in the Moluccas go on with this endless
suffering. Be aware that the stigma RMS cannot generalizingly be applied to all
Christian communities and that likewise Laskar Jihad cannot generalizingly be applied
to all Muslim communities.
(10) As women that acknowledge responsibility towards the formation of the future
generation, we are utterly concerned with the present milieu, especially in connection
with the children that show symptoms of psychical trauma due to the violence that
they incessantly witness.
(11) We demand improvement of capability and sense of responsibility of those who
are entrusted with the application of correct citizenship,.especially of those who are
responsible for maintaining security and law for everybody in Indonesia, especially for
women and children that in the Moluccas are called to achieve the fervently desired
prosperity of the undivided Republic of Indonesia.
(12) We reject any military emergency state to be applied to the Moluccas, especially
to the city of Ambon, for we do not want the women and children endlessly being
victimized.
Coordinators: (signed) Mrs. M.M.Hendriks, Mrs. Retty Assagaff, Sister Brigitta fdnsc
C.J.Böhm msc,
Crisis Centre Diocese of Amboina
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