Indonesia - OCHA Consolidated Situation Report No. 75
03 - 10 May 2002
MALUKU
General Situation
INGOs have begun returning to Ambon this week but humanitarian activities remain
limited and confined mainly to Ambon Island.
Overall, the situation in Ambon is slowly coming back to "normal" but some tension
remains and there was little crossing of borders by the communities. However,
leaders of both communities are united in their opposition to suggestions of martial
law being implemented in the province. Maluku parliament members on Wednesday
(8 May) in Jakarta declared their rejection to a plan to impose martial law in the
province.
On Sunday (5 May), two speedboats with armed gunmen attacked Eire near Amahsu
in Ambon but no casualties were reported.
On Tuesday (7 May), there was a bomb blast at the border of Mardika and Batu
Merah in Ambon. No other details were reported. Later in the afternoon a Christian
was stabbed to death at about 4 pm in front of the Al Fatah Mosque in Ambon.
Four people died and nine were injured when a clash broke out between residents of
the neighbouring villages of Porto and Haria in Central Maluku on Wednesday (8
May). This was the second fatal clash between the two Christian villages.
The police arrested Laskar Jihad commander, Jaffar Umar Thalib, on Saturday (4 May)
at Surabaya's Juanda Airport on charges linked to the Soya attack in Ambon, Maluku
on 28 April, which resulted in at least 13 deaths. He has also been charged with
insulting President Megawati Soekarnoputri. On the same day, in retaliation for the
arrest, mobs attacked the Christian sector in Ambon with bombs and mortars. Three
deaths were reported and the Silo Church was again set on fire, causing more
damage.
Vice President Hamzah Haz visited Jaffar on Tuesday in his cell at the National Police
Headquarters. Politicians from some Muslim-based parties also visited Jaffar. "We
Muslims are brothers. There's nothing wrong with visiting someone in trouble and
offering sympathy," Hamzah was quoted by The Jakarta Post as saying. His move
drew strong criticism from speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR)
Amien Rais and House Speaker Akbar Tanjung, as well as politicians from President
Megawati's party-PDI-P. The Post reported that a report by Maluku Police Chief Brig.
Gen. Soenarko Danu Ardianto said Jaffar told an audience of people at the Al-Fatah
Mosque on 26 April to "prepare their bombs and ammunition, and fire them at the
enemy in the name of Allah the Great". The chief detective of the National Police's
general crimes division, Brig. Gen. Aryanto Sutadi, said on Tuesday (7 May) the
police were pressured to release Jaffar last year. Jaffar was arrested on May last year
on murder charges but the police released him from custody a week later.
Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
issued a directive, effective 8 May, ordering the dissolution of the pro-independence
Maluku Sovereignty Front (FKM), and the expulsion of reputed troublemakers,
including the Laskar Jihad, from Maluku, according to The Jakarta Post. Quoting
Comr. Gen. Ahwil Luthan, inspector general at National Police Headquarters, the Post
said its enforcement depends on the Maluku authorities. The directive, Ahwil said,
also asked the security authorities and all security personnel deployed in the province
to launch door-to-door raids to disarm militias and their supporters.
Antara reported on Thursday (9 May) that President Megawati Soekarnoputri agreed
to the plan to set up a national independent investigation team for Maluku to
investigate the root causes of the conflict in the province.
Antara reported Thursday (9 May) that the Maluku Protestant Church (GPM) has
asked the government to crack down the Republic of South Maluku (RMS) movement.
CNN, quoting Singapore's Home Affairs Minister Wong Kan Seng, reported that
intelligence officials in Southeast Asia attributed recent violence in Maluku to Al
Qaeda operatives.
Food Security
AcF sent a team on Wednesday (8 May) to the TNS (Teun Nila Serua) Area, Seram
Island, for their mapping projects and to assess IDP needs in food security.
Health
MSF-B conducted 708 consultations through their Mobile Clinic Programme in IDP
camps throughout Ambon Island. They also support local hospitals through their
Surgical Programme and with drug supplies. MSF-B sent a team on Wednesday (8
May) to Kaibobo Village, West Seram, for their medical outreach programme.
UNICEF sent a team last Friday (3 May) to Namlea Town, North Buru Sub-district to
follow up on their Safe Motherhood Programme.
Water and Sanitation
IMC sent a team last Friday (3 May) to install a water system in the Puskesmas in
Werinama, Seram Island.
MSF-B has completed the installation of a drainage system at Ruko Batu Merah IDP
Camp on Tuesday (7 May).
MSF-B is continuing the construction of water tank supports in Mandala IDP camp
that began 28 April.
During the week, MSF-B conducted garbage collection in THR IDP Camp and
provided water supply for Suli TNI and Halong Navy Base IDP camps.
NORTH MALUKU
General Situation
The North Maluku provincial parliament endorsed the appointment (through a
presidential decree) of Harry Sinyo Sarundajang as acting Governor of North Maluku
province on Monday (6 May) in a meeting at the office of the Ministry of Home Affairs
in Jakarta.
Assessments
During the week AcF conducted an eligibility and verification assessment in Jailolo,
Sahu, and Ibu sub-districts to identify beneficiaries for the distribution of building
materials for the construction of houses for returnees. In Jailolo Sub-district, 99 kits
were distributed. AcF planned to provide the kits to 500 beneficiaries (300 in Jailolo,
100 in Sahu, and 100 in Ibu).
Food Security and Agriculture
From 27 April to 9 May, AcF distributed food for 95 new returnee families in Tolufu
Village of Loloda Sub-district.
From 27 April to 11 May, AcF planned to distribute 6,500 kits of seeds and farming
tools to beneficiaries in Jailolo, Sahu, and Ibu sub-districts. But the total beneficiaries
will depend on the organisation's assessment information.
Health
This week, IMC attended to 700 patients at puskesmas in Tobelo, Galela, Kao,
Malifut, Posi-posi Rao, and Berebere sub-districts. Common diseases and conditions
seen included dyspepsia, myalgia, hypertension, malaria, upper respiratory tract
infections (including bronchitis), hypertension, gastritis, and skin diseases (including
scabies).
IMC donated chairs, examination coaches and beds, cupboards, shelves, and kits for
midwives to Lalonga polyclinic and Dokulamo pustu in Galela Sub-district.
WVI distributed hygiene kits to 506 beneficiaries and also showed movies on good
health practices in four IDP camps in Ternate City.
Water and Sanitation
AcF planned to carry out water and sanitation programme (repair of wells and
rehabilitation of latrines and washing facilities) in 13 villages in East Gane Sub-district.
During the last two weeks, activities are on going in six of the villages.
Shelter and Non-food Items
Jailolo District Head Djalal Fahra said that 700 houses in 27 villages have been rebuilt,
out of 3,886 houses in 47 villages that were destroyed during the conflict. His
administration has requested funds and building materials from provincial and district
budgets for the 3rd phase of the distribution of building materials.
Education
The Provincial Education Office Head, Jafar Umar, said last week the reconstruction of
40% of 1,000 school buildings destroyed during the conflict in North Maluku has been
completed. He said 182 of 613 displaced teachers currently in North Sulawesi were
ready to return and houses for them were needed.
Other
Lembaga Mitra Lingkungan, a local NGO, organized a workshop-on government
support for IDPs, the return and rehabilitation process, and the community
empowerment programme-in Ternate City 6-8 May. Representatives from IDPs,
returnees, community leaders, government officials, and national and international
relief agencies (including UN OCHA) participated in the workshop sponsored by
USAID.
An airstrip in Kao Sub-district of North Maluku district has been rehabilitated and will
be officially inaugurated on 14 May. When fully operating, the airstrip will service
flights linking Manado, Ternate, Kao, and back to Manado, Monday through Thursday.
This report and all previous ones can be found on OCHA's website at
www.reliefweb.int
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
UN Building 4th Floor
Jl. MH. Thamrin 14
P.O. Box 2238, Indonesia
FAX: (62-21) 319-0003
PHONE: ( 62-21) 314-1308, Ext. 215, 151, 125
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