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, March 20, 2006
THE SITUATION IN AMBON/MOLUCCAS - Report No. 509
1. DAMAGE BY EARTHQUAKE - On March 14, a considerable earthquake - 6,4 on
the Richter Scale - was felt, causing much damage especially around the town of
Namlea, island of Buru, to the West of Ambon island. Several hundreds of houses
were destroyed or heavily damaged or even swept away by ensuing waves of five
meters high; they called it "a little tsunami". Three people were killed. Worst hit was
the village of Pela. All of its 239 families were evacuated. During the following days
smaller trembles occurred having a force up to 3 on the Richter Scale.
2. PRESIDENT VISITS THE MOLUCCAS - According to what had been scheduled
long before, the President of Indonesia, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, arrived at
Pattimura Airport Laha-Ambon on March 17. From Laha was made the short flight to
Namlea. The "Express Bahari 11" ferry, accompanied by six warships, then brought
the President from Namlea to the Batabual district to tour the six villages - including
the village of Pela - that had weathered the recent earthquake and subsequent
tsunami. The President handed medicines and food to alleviate people's suffering and
donated considerable funds for rehabilitation of local infrastructure.
The visit to the island of Buru had been planned in the context of a traditional grand
harvest celebration, now coincidentally concurring with the disaster by which several
villages had been struck. Before inaugurating the first cutting of paddies to mark the
year's harvest, Yudhoyono said that Buru was an example to other areas for its
perseverance and emerging as a major food supplier. Spanning a little over 10,000
square kilometers and with 10,882 hectares of potential farmland, Buru now produces
some 29,750 tons of unhulled rice, equal to 16,436 tons of hulled rice, from 4,025
hectares of cultivated land (thus we read in The Jakarta Post). Buru is also famed for
its kayu putih (maleleuca) tree and is a major producer of kayu putih oil.
The following day - symbolically - the President inaugurated 50 construction projects
on the islands of Ambon and Ceram. The ceremony took place in the Baileo Siwalima
building, Ambon. On this occasion the president expressed his delight in witnessing a
Moluccas province without clashes and disharmony. He brought to mind his own
numerous visits to the Moluccas during the conflict 1999-2002, when he still was
Minister of Political/Social/Security Affairs (MenSosPolKam). He was also one of the
initiators of the Malino II agreement in Februaray 2002, officially ending the conflict. All
this was also with gratefulness mentioned by Moluccas Governor Karel Albert
Ralahalu. President SBY stressed that now priority should be given to ending the
suffering of the 3.850 refugees families that are still living in unbefitting conditions.
C.J.Böhm msc,
Crisis Centre Diocese of Amboina |
