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, Mei 6, 2004
THE SITUATION IN AMBON/MOLUCCAS – Report No. 431
1. POLICE CHIEF REPLACED - Provincial Police Chief Commander
Brig.Gen.Bambang Sutrisno will be replaced by Brig.Gen. Aditya Warman. This
abrupt decision by National Police chief General Da'i Bachtiar has probably to do with
Sutrisno's subordinates' poor performance in the FKM / RMS case on Sunday April
25. Sutrisno himself is even accused as being an RMS supporter! Probably the
renewed unrest in Ambon could have been forestalled if the police had handled more
professionally before, during and after the RMS flag raising ceremony.
2. VISIT BY MINISTER OF SOCIAL AFFAIRS - On May 5-6 Cabinet Minister for
Social Welfare, Bachtiar Chamsjah, paid a visit to Ambon in order to survey the
situation of those afflicted by the renewed violence. He met with refugees and visited
the Al Fa'tah and Bhakti Rahayu hospitals. Apparently he was not afraid to spend one
night in Ambon, neither to visit "hot" sites as Kudamati, Batugajah and
Poka-Rumahtiga.
3. VICTIMS ON SOUTH BURU - Two residents from the village of Wamkana, situated
in the Southern part of the large island of Buru, were shot dead while at sea, one of
them a little child. It happened yesterday in the early morning. The perpetrator made
use of a speedboat and immediately disappeared, so that it can not be ascertained
whether there is any connection with the conflict in Ambon, which up to now has been
restricted to Ambon itself.
4. TWO RMS MEMBERS ARRESTED IN SURABAYA - Antara News Agency reports
that Indonesian police have arrested two members of the separatist South Maluku
Republic (RMS) movement at Juanda Airport on Tuesday, May 4th, 2004. Their
names are Ir. Matheus Talakua dan Jacobus Pesuarissa. Jacobus claims to be the
RMS minister for marine affairs.
5. PROMINENT FKM LEADERS TAKEN TO JAKARTA - The Secretary General of
the FKM (Front Kedaulatan Maluku), Moses Tuanakotta, together with the wife and
daughter of FKM leader Alex Manuputty, were taken to Jakarta today to be
interrogated at National Police HQ in connection with their part in de celebration of the
54th anniversary of the separatist RMS Movement.
C.J.Böhm msc,
Crisis Centre Diocese of Amboina |
