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, April 11, 2002
THE SITUATION IN AMBON / MOLUCCAS – Report No. 259
1. DEMONSTRATION BY ANGRY MUSLIM CROWD – On April 10, 2002, an
emotional Muslim mass of about 500 people went up to the Precinct Police
Headquarters (Mapolres) at Perigilima, Ambon, to protest against the detention of
Irwan Patty. Irwan Patty is the leader of the IKSAMUNI (Ikatan Persaudaraan Muslim
Nusa Ina = Nusa Ina Muslim Association ["Nusa Ina" = the island of Seram]). He had
been under arrest for three days already in connection with the bomb explosion of last
April 3. On that occasion the mass uttered also protest against the initiator of the
Moluccas Agreement of Malino, Coordinating Minister for Social Welfare Yusuf Kalla,
calling him a traitor of the Muslims, even altering his name to "Jesus Kalla". The
Governor himself, too, was called a traitor, being paid for his treason by the RMS
(Sovereign Republik Maluku Selatan Movement). Neither did the military and police
escape from being besmirched as traitors that wanted the Moluccas to be separated
from Indonesia. Police Chief
Commander Sunarko then came and talked with eight delegates of the
demonstrators. The situation meanwhile got more and more out of hand, but at last
could be bridled by several Muslim leaders. After hurried consultation with the
Governor by telephone, at last the crowd was appeased by the promise that Irwan
Patty would immediately be released and brought back to his home at Gadihu –
Kebun Cengkeh, Ambon.
2. UNREST ON SAPARUA ISLAND – For whatever reason, two Protestant-Christian
villages on the island of Saparua, East of Ambon island, namely Porto and Haria,
went to war against each other last night. The shooting and bombing started at 7.30
p.m. It was only one hour after midnight that the fighting could be restrained by the
police security forces, though incidental shooting could be heard up to 9.00 a.m. this
morning. Police Chief Commander Sunarko himself went there and succeeded in
bringing the opposing parties to talk one with another, ending the strife. The sad
harvest of this conflict was: Haria s! aw three of its residents killed and eight wounded.
Porto had one killed and three wounded. Several dozens of houses went up in flames.
C.J.Böhm msc,
Crisis Centre Diocese of Amboina
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