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, May 19, 2004
THE SITUATION IN AMBON/MOLUCCAS – Report No. 436
1. FKM MEMBERS ESCAPED - In the early morning of May 9, four of the separatist
FKM movement members that are in detention in Ambon, managed to escape from
their cell. It was said they escaped by burning out the lock of their cell door with a
candle. As this is hardly believable, Police chief Drs Aditya Warman has been
checking on possible internal irregularities in own police ranks.
Anti-separatist commander, Salim Bahasoan, threatened to block Ambon`s main
streets if the security apparatus failed to rearrest the four escapees. However, military
chief Maj. Gen. Syarifuddin asked the muslims to abstain from such measure, as this
would disturb the traffic and the distribution of the people`s needs. He asked them just
to leave the separatists to the security apparatus.
2. STREETS BARRICADED - As up to today the escapees have not been traced yet,
a muslim crowd at 11.00 a.m. today blocked two main streets in Ambon city (Jl.AM
Sangaji/Trikora and Jl.Sultan Chairun/AY Patty). As blockade materials were used
various odds and ends like old tyres, pieces of wood, loose bricks etc. and of course
the Red-and-White Indonesian flag was planted in the middle of it, for this was said to
be an action by the "Posko Anti Front Kedaulatan Rakyat Maluku Selatan" (Anti
South Moluccas Sovereignty Front Command) to defend the Undivided Republic of
Indonesia. No wonder in the whole city tenseness increased; in fact had already been
building up since Monday, May 17, when two RMS-flags were spotted flying over the
city.
3. PRESIDENT MEGAWATI TO VISIT AMBON - President Megawati Soekarnoputri
is scheduled to pay a visit to Ambon on May 22. She will be in Ambon for only three
hours. Main purpose of her visit is surveying and inaugurating several government
sponsored projects. She will arrive in Ambon coming from Ternate, capital of the
province of the North Moluccas. Afterwards she will travel on to the town of Timika
(Papua Province). Today governor Karel Ralahalu denied rumours that the visit would
be postponed till May 29.
C.J.Böhm msc,
Crisis Centre Diocese of Amboina |
