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, 25 December , 2000 THE SITUATION IN AMBON / MOLUCCAS - Report no. 117  CHURCH LEADERS PROCESSION - On Saturday, December 23, about 500 Church Leaders of all christian denominations expressed their concern on the unrest which has been going on in the Moluccas for almost two years now, and especially on recent islamisation on the islands of Kesui and Teor. The black robed protestant ministers and their church council members, also in traditional black, dominated the spectacle. The procession started at the St.Francis Xavier parish building on Pattimura Street and ended some 400 meters farther at the Maranatha Church on the same street, where a oecumenical worship was held. The sermon was delivered by Bishop P.C.Mandagi MSC, whereas a lengthy and impressive testimony was pronounced by one of the Kesui victims. A delegation went to the governor s building (just across the street) to hand a signed manifesto to the governor requesting to effectuate any legal way to put an end to the conflict. It was stated that in fact the governor had failed in his task as the Responsible of the Civil Emergency. Any endeavour to replace the current ideology of the Republic of Indonesia ( Pancasila ) by another ideology was to be vigorously rejected. It was demanded to restore justice, especally bringing to justice the instigators of the violence. He also should take strategical steps to return all refugees to their own locations under protection of security forces.   VICE PRESIDEN VISITS THE NORTH MOLUCCAS - On December 23-24 Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia, Mrs. Megawati Soekarnoputri, visited several places in the Province of the North Moluccas. Witnessing the total destruction of the village of Susupu, island Halmahera, she could not help crying, and she affirmed to the assembled refugees, that the tears she had already shed because of the Moluccas might fill a bak (bathtub). She said, according to Ankara Press Agency: The houses have been destroyed, people have to stay in plastic covered sheds, many children have become orphans and cannot go to school& The government builds longsheds, but within a month these, too, are destroyed by the conflicting parties . She promised some time in future she would come back to Susupu, to dance and sing with the people, for one day peace will be restored. The Governor of the North Moluccas, Mr. Muhyi Effendie replied that the two conflicting groups already were determined to make peace, so that all of the village residents could come back to their ancestral homestead. Megawati also visited the villages of Soasiu, Malifut, Tobelo and Galela on the island of Halmahera and the island of Bacan.   CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS - As far as we know, all religious celebrations on the island of Ambon on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day went along undisturbed.   THANK YOU - Monseigneur P.C.Mandagi MSC, bishop of Amboina, herewith wishes to express his gratefulness for the many Christmas greetings and encouraging words especially those from Austria that came in in large numbers assuring him of care and prayers for the well-being of the people in the Moluccas. Reciprocally he sends his sincere wishes for a blessed and happy Christmas & Idul Fitri and a good beginning of the New Year to all those who share his concern with the Moluccas. Note: A recently recorded reportage on Ambon and on the Kei Islands will be broadcasted by Dutch EO-Television on December 27.   C.J.Böhm MSc, Secretary 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