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, November 30, 2004
THE SITUATION IN AMBON/MOLUCCAS - Report No. 454
1. RETURNEES NOT WELCOME - Returning to their former homesteads is for a
number of refugees not only a matter of finances, but also depends on whether they
are still welcome to come back and live in peace with those by whom (in most cases)
they were expelled during the conflict. Feelings of fear for revenge etc. are not
unlikely; reclaiming land, crops and other property, too, may fuel animosity.
Thus the residents in the muslim subdistrict of Lisabata in West Ceram regency told
a group of visiting provincial administration officials recently that they were not ready
to live side by side with any returning residents of the three neighbouring subdistricts
of Nuniali, Wokolo and Patahue. They seemingly do not trust those christian people,
accusing them of having attacked Lisabata during the clashes back in 2000. Prior to
the the conflict there had already been various minor hostilities in connection with the
property of clove trees.
"If the government pushes ahead with its plan, we cannot be held responsible if other
clashes occur in the future," said spokesman Jaida, supported by dozens of Lisabata
residents.
Of the 34 subdistricts in the Taniwel district, West Ceram, only three are muslim.
Lisabata clashed with the neighbouring villagaes of Nuniali, Woloko and Patahue in
October 2000. The Lisabata residents then proved to be the stronger group, forcing
their rivals to take refuge to safer places. Moluccas Deputy Governor Muhammad
Abdullah Latuconsina, however, said that the government would proceed with its plan
to bring back all of the refugees to their original locations. He asked the Lisabata
residents to bury the hatchet and forget any bitter experience in the past, and to head
for a better future.
West Ceram is not the only place were returnees will encounter mistrust. Other
places that are still underway to be appeased include North East Ceram (town of Bula
area), the tiny island of Kasui, to the South East of Ceram, and Northern Buru.
2. RMS SECRETARY GETS NINE YEARS CONFINEMENT - Last Monday, November
29, 2004, secretary-general of the Moluccas Sovereignty Front (FKM), Moses
Tuanakotta, was sentenced by the Ambon District Court to nine years in prison for
subversion. The sentence was six years lighter than what the prosecution had
demanded. Moses was found guilty of violating articles 106 and 110 of the Criminal
Code for leading a South Moluccas Republic (RMS) flag-raising ceremony on April 25,
2004, which had also caused a week of public chaos, the killing of more than forty
people and the burning of people's property (See Report 421 sqq.). In its decision the
court took into account the fact that Moses was well mannered during the trial, had
never been convicted of a crime before and had a family to support.
3. MOLUCCAS EXPORT TO FOREIGN COUNTRIES STILL NIHIL - Detikcom
reports on a meeting of the chief of the Provincial Industry and Trade Department
(Dinas Perindustrian dan Perdagangan Propinsi Maluku), Burhan Banjar, with local
mass media. Mr. Banjar praised the quality of various local home industry products,
such as the manufacture of shell tableaux in Batumerah, city of Ambon, but which is
now only popular among visiting tourists and not being sold abroad. The spice-trade,
too, came to a standstill when the conflict erupted at the beginning of 1999 and up to
now has not recovered yet.
One of the reasons of the dead-lock is the fear that security in this Province is not
fully guaranteed yet. However, this aspect has government priority, said Mr. Banjar.
C.J.Böhm msc,
Crisis Centre Diocese of Amboina |
