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, January 31, 2002 (2nd Report)
THE SITUATION IN AMBON / MOLUCCAS – Report no. 230
1. THE WARRING PARTIES SET FOR TALKS NEXT WEEK – Since the meeting of
the Moluccas opposing parties that is planned to take place in Malino next week may
be of paramount significance for the future of the Moluccas, we intend to report on it
more elaborately than we usual do. The following report has been summarized from
"Jakarta Post” daily, January 31, 2002.
The preliminary meetings in Makassar on Wednesday, January 30, were aimed at
laying the groundwork for formal peace talks between the warring parties scheduled
for February 5 and 7 in the South Sulawesi hill resort of Malino. Among other things
an agenda should be outlined to guide discussion at next week’s formal meeting.
The mediators, led by Coordinating Minister for Social Affairs Jusuf Kalla, held talks
with Christian representatives at the Losari Beach Hotel in Makassar, followed by a
meeting with Muslim representatives at the city’s Kenari Hotel. The two feuding
groups were each represented by 15 delegates. The Muslim delegation was led by
Abdul Wahab Polpoke and the Christian representatives were led by Msgr.
P.C.Mandagi, Bishop of Amboina. Present at the meetings were the Governor of the
Moluccas Saleh Latuconsina, the governor of South Sulawesi HZB Palaguna and
senior local legislators and also senior officers from the National Police and
Indonesian Military.
Today (Thursday) the delegates return to Ambon to disseminate the outcomes of the
informal meeting among their respective followers before flying back to Malino on
February 4.
It is not clear whether leaders of the militant Java-based Laskar Jihad group, blamed
for worsening the conflicts in the Moluccas, were part of the Muslim delegation
yesterday.
The formal peace talks in Malino next week are designed to seek an agreement on
halting the violence, forming an acceptable basis for a judicial process, setting up a
team of peace monitors and starting a repatriation program for the some 500,000
refugees / IDP-s.
2. FIRST-HAND REPORT BY JACKY MANUPUTTY – Especially for the Masariku
Network members (http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/) one of the christian delegates,
Mr. Jacky Manuputty, provides a report, of which we select and summarize the
following items as an addition to the above Jakarta Post report:
One of the points of discussion among the christians at the Losari Beach Hotel
Makassar was: ascertaining that this christian delegation indeed could be called
representative for all segments of the christians in the Moluccas. Another point of
discussion was the evaluation on the recent meeting in Ambon (on January 25) with
the two Cabinet Ministers and accompanying team that had come to Ambon. Main
point of discussion, however, was the assessment on convergence and
disconvergence in claims and demands between both opposing parties. Thus most of
the 4 hours’ meeting was directed at finding ways to let the convergence prevail over
the disconvergence.
The South Sulawesi Governor emphasized that he himself, together with all of the
South Sulawesi population, would try and be a dedicated host in order to facilitate a
favourable outcome of the meeting next week. Anyhow, clearly our personal safety
was meticulously taken care of by numerous security personnel in and around the
hotel where we were staying. We were also visited by some influential local citizens
that revealed their support on any propitious ending of the Moluccas conflict.
C.J.Böhm MSc,
Secretary of Crisis Centre Diocese of Amboina
Received via e-mail from : Crisis Centre Diocese of Amboina
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