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, February 6, 2006
THE SITUATION IN AMBON/MOLUCCAS - Report No. 504
1. EXPLODING OF TWO BOMBS FORESTALLED - A little past midnight, early
Sunday morning, February 5, three crudely made bombs - tied together as one and
equipped with timers - were found at a commercial center in the Batumerah area, city
of Ambon. Another combination of three bombs, of a similar type, was found in the
Hasanudin Street, also in Batumerah, at around 8.00 a.m. The police took no risk and
disposed of them in controlled explosions. According to Ambon Ekspres newspaper,
fire was seen emerging from a plastic bag, but was immediately extinguished with
water by Mrs. Maodar Latupono, because it was very close to her cart - only to know
afterwards that in that plastic bag three bombs were hidden.
Ambon police chief Leonidas Braksan said that the incident may be linked to the
ongoing trials in Ambon of several suspected extremists.
2. DEATH PENALTY SOUGHT FOR MUSLIM MILITANTS - On 15 February last
year a karaoke bar in Hative Besar, island of Ambon, was attacked from a speedboat,
killing two people (See Reports 466-467). The prosecution now has asked for death
sentences for Idi Amin Tabrani Pattimura alias Ongen Pattimura and Fatur Datu
Armen, who are accused of masterminding the attack. Tensions were high during the
trial. About a hundred people, claiming to be members of the suspects' families,
staged a noisy rally outside the courthouse. Upon hearing of the prosecution's
demand for death sentence, some became hysterical and several women fainted.
According to the Jakarta Post newspaper, Sity Wakano, Ongen's aunt, said she
believed the trial was politically motivated. Indeed, during the Moluccas conflict
(1999-2002) thousands of innocent people, including women and children, have been
murdered: where have the killers gone? (See also Report 488).
In a separate trial, another militant, Asep Djaja, alias Aji or Dahlan or Yahya, is also
facing the death penalty for his alleged involvement in two attacks: one at Wamkana
village, island of Buru, in which two died (See Reports 431, 479, 495) and another on
the Loki Brimob post, island of Ceram, in which six died (see Reports 478, 480, 488).
3. EARTHQUAKE CASUALTIES - The 7,3 RS earthquake that rocked the Moluccas
on January 28, indirectly caused the death of two people, both in Masohi, South
Ceram island: a three-month-old boy, who died after being accidentally trampled by
panicked members of his family. The other victim died of a heart attack.
4. LAND DAMAGE ON CERAM ISLAND - On several places, especially on the island
of Ceram, the shore has been damaged due to the recent earthquake. Worst hit was
the village of Elpaputih, near Amai/Masohi, South Ceram. Over a distance of about
100 meters there are two clefts now, causing the sea-side sand to drop a steep 5
meters. As the earthquake struck, all villagers fled into the mountains for fear of a
tsunami. The village was earlier swallowed by a tsunami more than a hundred years
ago, specifically in 1889, still called "The Ceram Danger" by local people.
5. AMBON REFUGEES STILL WAITING 7 YEARS ON - We transcribe a Jakarta
Post article on the fate of thousands of Moluccas IDP-s:
Seven years since a bloody Muslim-Christian conflict first erupted in Ambon in
January 1999, thousands of victims are still crammed into makeshift shelters for
displaced persons.
Presently, 15.788 families are still living in makeshift camps in Ambon city, waiting to
be relocated or sent back to their hometowns. Long queues of refugees can be seen
regularly at local government offices, asking officials whether the building materials or
construction aid the state is supposed to provide them are ready.
Head of the Maluku Refugees Coalition, Pieter Pattiwaelapia, told The Jakarta Post
recently that the situation in Ambon was probably the longest-running internal refugee
problem in the country. Despite holding yellow cards, which entitle them to receive
assistance, the displaced people have been led on a bureaucratic wild-goose chase,
and are confused by the many layers of procedures they have to navigate, Pieter said.
The provincial administration earlier declared the refugee problem would be solved by
January 31 this year, an extended deadline after it failed to meet its earlier promise to
completely bring an end to the problem in December. But while the provincial and
local administrations say they have taken steps to improve the situation, Pieter says
little has changed.
Three successive Maluku governors, from M. Saleh Latuconsina, Sinyo Sarundajang
to the incumbent, Karel Albert Ralahalu, have not dealt with the matter, he said. The
displaced people are disappointed by the lack of an effective system -- with the
government neglecting its technical guidelines for the reconstruction of their houses.
And an incomplete database means thousands of families are not getting the help
they need, he said. The houses that have been built are not integrated into the proper
facilities the government promised in its reconstruction blueprint, which envisioned
incorporated schools, health centers and places of worship, Pieter said. As a result,
many of the houses have ended up abandoned. Maluku councillor Abdurrachman
blamed the delays on lack of detailed data about the refugees, which he said had
frustrated officials' attempts to determine what groups had already received
assistance.
Earlier, the deputy speaker of the Maluku provincial council, Jhon Mailoa, also blamed
a lack of valid data for the repeated deadline extensions. "We have a special
committee to deal with refugees, but we've discovered that its numbers vary from
those registered with the administration," he said, without giving details of the
numbers. He also advised the provincial administration not to completely transfer
responsibility for the refugees to regency or municipal administrations. "The refugee
problem should be addressed by both the provincial and regency/municipal
administrations," Jhon said.
C.J.Böhm msc,
Crisis Centre Diocese of Amboina |
