Ekklesia, May 7, 2004
Churches call on Indonesian Government to address Malukuss
violence
-7/5/04
The WCC general secretary, Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia, has called on the Indonesian
Government to "take immediate steps to put an end to the violence in the Malukus".
In a 5 May letter to the president, Megawati Soekarnoputri, made public today, he
supported a similar call from the local Protestant and Roman Catholic Church
representatives in the face of "the outbreak of violence and conflict between Muslims
and Christians in the Malukus region since 25 April".
WCC member churches in the region have consistently striven for peace and
reconciliation between the two communities and have promoted inter-religious
dialogue. "It is important that these efforts do not suffer a set-back because of actions
of a few extremists on both sides of the religious divide," wrote Kobia.
He expressed particular concern about the attacks and acts of arson at the
Indonesian Christian University in Malukus. Almost 40 people are reported to have lost
their lives as a result of the ongoing violence there. "Much of the damage and spread
of violence could have been avoided if the Indonesian security forces... had taken
timely action," Kobia suggested.
The full text of the letter is as follows:
The World Council of Churches has received with dismay and concern reports of the
outbreak of violence and conflict between Muslims and Christians in the Malukus
region since 25 April. As a result of the ongoing violence over 33 people have lost their
lives and 238 people have been injured.
These events have come after a period of relative calm and intercommunal harmony
between Muslims and Christians in the region. The member churches of the World
Council of Churches have all along striven for peace and reconciliation between the
two communities and in this connection have consistently promoted inter-religious
dialogue, through the Communion of Churches in Indonesia, particularly in the
Malukus region. It is important that these efforts do not suffer a set-back because of
actions of a few extremists on both sides of the religious divide.
We are particularly concerned by the attacks and acts of arson at the Indonesian
Christian University in the Malukus that have resulted in the complete destruction of
16 lecture rooms that catered to the faculties of Theology, Civil Engineering,
Economics as well as Social and Political Sciences. Priceless collections of books
accumulated over many years, including the Maluccana and Idonesiana collections,
have been completely gutted as a result of the attack on the University library.
According to the reports received by us, much of the damage and spread of violence
could have been avoided if the Indonesian Security Forces were vigilant and had taken
timely action against the miscreants. Your Excellency will appreciate that it is the
responsibility of the Government of Indonesia to maintain law and order and to provide
security to the people in the country, particularly in a region like the Malukus where
inter-religious tensions run high.
The World Council of Churches supports the call of the Moderator of the Protestant
Church in the Malukus, Rev. Dr. I.W.J. Hendriks and Msgr P.C. Mandagi MSC, the
Roman Catholic Bishop of Ambonia, that the Indonesian Government take immediate
steps to put an end to the violence in the Malukus. The Government should also
encourage and support peace-building efforts of churches and civil society groups that
are endeavouring to promote inter-religious harmony in the region.
As we make this plea to you, we uphold Muslims and Christians in our intercessions
and pray for peace and reconciliation in the Malukus.
Yours sincerely,
Rev. Dr. Samuel Kobia
General Secretary
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