HTML pages designed & maintained by Alifuru67 Copyright © 1999/2000 - 1364283024 & 1367286044		Want to Help? CRISIS CENTRE DIOCESE OF AMBOINA Jalan Pattimura 32 - Ambon 97124 - Indonesia Tel 0062 (0)911 342195 Fax 0062 (0)911 355337 E-mail: compro@ambon.wasantara.net.id Ambon, December 16, 2000 THE SITUATION IN AMBON / MOLUCCAS - Report no. 110   INVESTIGATION ON THE ISLAND OF KESWUI – The forced islamization of the christians on the island of Keswui, a tiny island South-East of the large island of Ceram, central Moluccas, attracks worldwide attention. So the Governor of the Moluccas, as the Responsible for the Civil Emergency State, decided to send an investigation team there. It carried out its investigation on December 8-10. This team consisted of two government representatives, two human rights delegates, one newsreporter (Antara), one local NGO representative and the parish priest of Masohi, Keswui being part of the large parish of Masohi. But for this priest and the NGO representative, all members were muslims. They went to Keswui by ship on Desember 8, together with 31 military and 1 policeman. - PREPARATION. The team had prepared a questioner with the following questions : (1) Are you in healthy condition? Yes / No (2) What is your religion at this moment? (3) Is the religion you adhere now, according to your personal choice? Yes / No (4) If “No”, why: - Is it because you feel your life is endangered? - Is it because you are forced to it by other people? - Is it because you just follow others? (5) Do you want to leave Keswui? Yes / No (6) Have you anything to add? (7) Have you answered these questions under pressure from outside? Yes / No - THE RESULT. Only a small minority could be questioned. All victims said that they had become islam of their own free will. They also said they did not wish to be evacuated from Keswui. Since the honesty of these answers was doubted, another more representive team was sent to Keswui (see Report 107, No. 2).   RENEWED INVESTIGATION ON THE ISLAND OF KESWUI – This second investigation team reports – while still in Keswui – to the Protestant Maranatha Advocacy Team in Ambon, that also this second mission may turn out to be a failure. About a hundred christians have already been brought to the ship (the freighter Mentari II), where they are to be questioned. No wonder the local laskar jihad protest vigorously against this method, and at the same time the remaining christians feel more and more threatened. The Advocacy Team has urged the governor to send there additional security forces at once by helicopter. It also accuses the governor of creating unwanted escalation of tenseness by such unprofessional handling of this case. In this way it is rapidly becoming a major issue in the international news media, and the Indonesian government may not refuse international intervention any more. Thus we read in today’s “Siwalima” newspaper.   EARLIER FORCED CONVERSIONS – “Siwalima” newspaper reports on christians having been forced to “convert” to islam on South Halmahera island, in the village of Doro. Mrs.Nilda Adrian reported to “Siwalima” yesterday that she and her younger sister Ratna Tempumona managed to escape from Doro elsewhere and at last to Ambon 8 months ago, saving themselves from being islamized. On December 18, 1999, muslim masses had destroyed their village. Its residents had fled to the woods. However, on December 22 they had been rounded up and consequently received instruction in islam teaching. The following day the 23 families had been circumcised. Only the two of them had managed to escape, she said in tears. C.J.Böhm MSc, Secretary of Crisis Centre Diocese of Amboina Received via e-mail from : Crisis Centre Diocese of Amboina Copyright © 1999-2000  - Ambon Berdarah On-Line * http://www.go.to/ambon HTML pages designed and maintained by Alifuru67 * http://www.oocities.org/maluku67 Send your comments to alifuru67@egroups.com