MISNA - Missionary Service News Agency [Italy], 4 SEP 2002 (18:57)
INDONESIA
Moluccas: Separatists Sentenced 6-10 Months In Prison For
Hoisting RMS Flag (Standard, Church/Religious Affairs)
The district court of Masohi (Ceram Island) issued verdicts against separatists active
in the Indonesian Moluccas. Four separatists were in fact sentenced to serve from 6
to 10 months in prison for hoisting the lag of the RMS (Republik Maluku Selatan,
Republic of South Moluccas).
The news was reported to MISNA by Father Kees Böhm of the Crisis Centre of the
Catholic diocese of Ambon (administrative centre of the Moluccas), adding that
another 15 Indonesians are currently standing trial on the same charges: hoisting an
RMS flag on the Saparua Island April 25, day of the 52nd anniversary of the foundation
of the RMS.
Despite a ban imposed by local authorities, the RMS flag was in fact hoisted in
various zones of Ambon, in at least two locations of the western part of Ceram Island,
in Amahai and Waisarissa, as also in the Saparua and Haruku Islands. Various
people were arrested for violating the ban.
The same day four people were injured in shooting and explosions and a fire caused
superficial damage to the Protestant Church of Silo, already destroyed in December
1999. Fr. Böhm, a missionary of the Sacred Heart, underlined that the local Church
offers no support to the Christian separatist movements, accused by the Muslims of
fomenting the inter-religious conflict that broke out in the Moluccas in January 1999
and is now coming to a resolution.
In regard to the trials, the father referred to MISNA that over the past days 3 people
have appeared in court on charges of setting fire on April 3 to the offices of the
Governor of the Moluccas, Saleh Latuconsina. The building was set on fire by angry
Christians after 5 people had just been killed and 57 wounded in a bomb attack
against one of their neighbourhoods. (BO)
|
