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, September 14, 2002
THE SITUATION IN AMBON / MOLUCCAS -- Report No. 319
REFLECTION ON CURRENT SITUATION IN AMBON – On September 14, 2002,
Monseigneur P.C. Mandagi msc, Bishop of Amboina, gave a press conference on
several hot items, specifically those connected with recent acts of violence and with
the impending election of the next Governor of the Moluccas. We do not intend to
report on the whole exposé but restrict ourselves to some poignant perceptions on the
former of both topics:
(1) What motivation can the terrorists possibly have in fuelling renewed interreligious
strife? Maybe they hope to profit economically from a prolonged conflict.
Or by means of prolongation of the conflict one wants to secure for oneself a certain
position in government or being rewarded with promotion. As long as the local
situation is unstable, the impending election for a new governor might postponed,
installing a caretaking governor instead.
(2) Not to be excluded is the possibility that – like also was suggested by National
Supreme Police Commander Da'i Bachtiar during his recent visit to Ambon – that the
conflicts in the various areas of Indonesia might be linked one to another, having their
source at and being coordinated by a national or even international terrorist network.
By means of these acts of terror they might try to prove that Indonesia is an unsafe
country with a weak government and inept military and police security forces, a
country with a government that cannot protect its own citizens. In that case the
conclusion would be: to topple the government and replace it by one to their liking, i.e.
by them themselves.
(3) Both communities of the Moluccas as a whole hardly let themselves be fooled any
more. On the contrary, the only thing both Muslims and Christians want is peace and
security. They have learned that violence is not the way to bring about peace. People
have grown in appreciation of morale and religiousness.
C.J.Böhm msc,
Crisis Centre Diocese of Amboina
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