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 14, 2002
THE SITUATION IN AMBON / MOLUCCAS – Report No. 284
1. THE DIPONEGORO INCIDENT – After the confrontation of the military versus
some Muslims in the Diponegoro area during the afternoon of Sunday, May 12, in
which a soldier was wounded at his thigh by a home-made bomb, security forces
carried out intensive sweeping in the area. Hereby one person, named Yuswan, was
shot dead when he refused to hand over a bomb he was holding in his hand. Those
that were arrested numbered eight people (not seven as we reported earlier), varying in
age from 18 to 31. Five of them turned out to be Javanese; the other three are from
Ambon. Various weaponry was found on them, among other things 20 home-made
bombs. They will be interrogated by the Joint Investigation Team.
2. MALINO DELEGATION MEMBERS THREATENED – In the evening of Sunday,
May 12, the house of the leader of the Muslim delegation to Malino, Thamrin Elly,
which lies in the Kebun Cengkeh area, was burned by an unidentified group of people.
Thamrin Elly excluded the possibility that his house was burned by FKM/RMS
people. He said his house was being protected by a policeman, following earlier
threats by Muslims that do not agree with the Moluccas Agreement of Malino. Those
that set fire to his house – he said – numbered about ten masked people in black
outfit. His wife managed to escape with her two years old child to a neighbour's
house, though chased by gunfire.
All of the 35 members of the Muslim delegation to Malino are under threat of being
killed. Military chief commander Mustopo, in cooperation with the police forces, now
provides protection to them according to capability. However, those members that
have their houses at rather far-off sites, have been advised to evacuate to safer
surroundings.
Another reaction to the detention of the eight culprits was the burning of a government
owned speedboat in the early morning of Monday, May 13.
The governor has urged to enforce the curfew more seriously.
3. STANCE OF THE NU – Chairman of the influential NU (Nahdathul Ulama), Kyai
Haji Hasyim Muzadi, acknowledged that the conflict in the Moluccas will not be
solved as long as the FKM / RMS Movement is not bridled and the Laskar Jihads stay
on in the Moluccas.
C.J.Böhm msc,
Crisis Centre Diocese of Amboina
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