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, June 17, 2004
THE SITUATION IN AMBON/MOLUCCAS – Report No. 443
1. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES VISIT AMBON - After Megawati Soekarnoputri,
Susilo B. Yudhoyono and Hamzah Haz, Golkar Party`s Wiranto - too - came and
campaigned in Ambon. To his 20,000 supporters that had gathered at the Merdeka
Field in Ambon on Wednesday June 16, he promised to bring about national
reconciliation and create stable and peaceful public life, when elected into office.
2. PROVOCATEUR CAUGHT - When on Tuesday, June 15, security forces together
with local civilians at the Wainitu/Talake border, city of Ambon, were busy removing a
container that since the end of last April had served as a tough roadblock, they were
stunned by hearing gunfire. The culprits turned out to be four persons, of whom only
one could be arrested. He was still in possession of a standard rifle and ammunition.
He had two identification cards on him: one of Palu (central Celebes) and one of
Batumerah (Ambon). Curiously he had also on him several sheets with specific
Ambon dialect words and their meaning in Indonesian. Thus was reported by local
newspaper Ambon Express.
3. DECLINING NUMBER OF VISITORS - There has been a decrease in the number
of foreigners visiting the Moluccas since last April 25, when renewed clashes broke
out in the city of Ambon. Thus was said by Wiryono, head of the local immigration
office. "We could see this in data gathered from the province`s entry points," he said.
Data showed that 82 foreigners visited Maluku in April, and 74 in May.
4. BOMBS FOUND NEAR MEETING HALL - On June 15, Police found three
home-made bombs in a package, hanging on a tree outside the meeting hall of the
provincial administration office in the mainly Christian Karangpanjang district of the
city of Ambon. A police anti-bomb squad, alerted by building employees, defused the
devices. Also fixed to the tree was a flag from the separatist South Maluku Republic
(RMS) Movement.
Last June 9, a special 15-member police team had already arrived in Ambon to handle
bombings. The team`s dispatch followed a meeting between Ambon Mayor Papilaja
and Indonesian Police chief, Gen. Da`i Bachtiar, on May 28.
5. SOLDIERS ON TRIAL - The three soldiers that last May 7 had taken photos with
the RMS separatist flag standing before the bell-tower of a church in Galala-Hative
Kecil (Ambon) (see Report 434), are currently on trial in Ambon before a military
tribunal. They are charged with allegedly fueling rebellion by their action. If found guilty
the three can be jailed for two years. The defense argued that the men did not support
the separatist group but "only took photographs of themselves with the flag as a
memory of their tour of duty".
C.J.Böhm msc,
Crisis Centre Diocese of Amboina |
