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, February 24, 2005
THE SITUATION IN AMBON/MOLUCCAS - Report No. 468
1. RMS SUPPORTERS ARRESTED - On February 22, eleven people were arrested in
Ambon for allegedly hoisting RMS flags last February 18. Their subversive act of
separatism may have been meant to attract the attention of several hundreds of
German tourists that had arrived by cruise ship and came on shore for about four
hours on that same day.
This flag raising was done in the suburb of Hative Kecil. The police also confiscated
ten RMS flags. The eleven will probably be charged for committing treason, for which
the maximum sentence is being jailed for life.
The police is still in the hunt for three Kudamati residents who are thought to have
played a part in the still unsolved flag hoisting in the Kudamati area on the same day.
In a separate case, two students from the "UKIM", i.e. the Indonesian Christian
University in Ambon, were convicted for treason and sentenced to two years in jail.
They had been found guilty of raising an RMS flag last year. Besides, they had
regularly attended separatist meetings.
2. UNPATTI UNIVERSITY TO RETURN TO POKA LOCATION - The campus of the
Universitas Pattimura - principal university of the Moluccas - in Poka, on the opposite
shore of the bay of Ambon, was badly damaged during the conflict (Report 12). This
happened on July 4, 2000, after which lecturing took place at several alternative
locations in the city of Ambon, however, never separating christian and muslim
students.
At the Moluccas Agreement of Malino, February 12, 2002, by which the conflicting
parties in the Moluccas agreed to restore peace, the university was specifically
mentioned in these words: "To endorse the rehabilitation of the Pattimura University,
based on the principle that this institution is meant to foster common welfare.
Therefore the system of recruitment and all other measures will take place openly and
impartially, whilst safeguarding the quality that is needed (Report 235).
On Mei 15, 2003, then Cabinet Minister of Social Affairs (now Vice President) Yusuf
Kalla, surveying the University site at Poka, urged to speed up rehabilitation efforts,
so that in August (2003) the whole Campus would be ready for use again (Report
367).
Thus on August 20, 2003, Rector magnificus Nus Huliselan declared to the
newsmedia that soon there would be enough room for all of the eight faculties to move
back to the Poka campus. Strong military and police units would be stationed around,
and military trucks would stand by for transport of the students.
All these good intentions up to now have not been fullfilled, mainly due to the
christians' feeling of insecurity in the Poka-Rumahtiga area (see Report 465).
However, we read in today's Metro Maluku newspaper that since Saturday, February
19, 200 soldiers have been deployed to clean up the whole campus, for - at last -
tutorial activities at this impressive Poka building complex will be resumed on March
1, 2005 . . .
3. NORTH MOLUCCAS: OUTBREAK OF MEASLES - SCTV-News reports on a
sudden outbreak of measles in the districts of Malifut, Tobelo and Kao, island of
Halmahera. Hundreds are currently affected by this contagious disease. The medical
department, apart from taking care of those affected, is taking measures to prevent
the disease further to spread.
C.J.Böhm msc,
Crisis Centre Diocese of Amboina |
