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, January 13, 2003
THE SITUATION IN AMBON / MOLUCCAS - Report No. 345
1. MEETING OF VILLAGE CHIEFS – From 9 to 11 January a number of traditional
leaders ("Latupati") and village chiefs held a meeting at the temporary Pattimura
university compound in Manggadua, in which various topics were discussed. One of
the participants was Sultan Hamengkubuwono X (the tenth) from Yogyakarta. In the
speech he delivered he stressed the need for tolerance and openness one towards
another, and an appropriate understanding of the various diversities among the
population: not as a source of conflict but, on the contrary, as assets for further
development of the abundance of riches in Indonesian culture. Frequent dialogue will
foster mutual understanding, he said.
An important item on the agenda was the attention that should be paid to the young
generation. Other items of discussion centered on matters of economy, the IDP-s,
justice, reestablishing traditional village chiefs and – of course – reconciliation.
2. VISIT BY CHIEF POLICE COMMANDER – National Chief Police Commander
(Kapolri) Da'i Bachtiar paid a visit to Ambon on January 11, as part of a tour in the
East Indonesia area, in which also Kupang and Manado are visited.
Meeting the local newsmedia he – among other things – acknowledged that a
number of military Kopassus personnel had indeed been found to have been involved
in recent acts of violence as had been stated by Berty Loupatty (see Report 343). In
cooperation with the military leaders further investigation on the case will be carried
out, he said.
3. FKM LEADERS WELCOMED IN AMBON – FKM leaders Alex Manuputty and
Semmy Waeleruny were welcomed enthousiastically by more than a thousand
supporters on their arrival in Ambon on January 11. Having arrived at the Kudamati
area, they first of all headed for the "Sinar" church for a brief worship together with
several hundreds of sympathizers. In a brief allocution, Manuputty shouted: "Mena
Muria! God is on our side! Dear Alifuru brothers, our fight is for Salam (Muslim) and
Sarani (Christian) alike. Our fight is without any weaponry. Our fight is a moral one,
whilst praying to God". He said, together with Semmy Waeleruny he had been in
detention in Jakarta for eight months and ten days, but had never been distressed, for
God had comforted them. God will not leave those who suffer and yearn for the truth.
A crowd of several thousands of people then accompanied them to Manuputty's
nearby house under the sounds of joyful trumpet music.
C.J.Böhm msc,
Crisis Centre Diocese of Amboina |
