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 6, 2002
THE SITUATION IN AMBON / MOLUCCAS – Report No. 232
1. GETTING READY FOR “MALINO” – According to plan, Coordinating Minister for
Social Affairs Jusuf Kalla, accompanied by several Deputy Ministers and Military and
Police Officials arrived at Pattimura airport Laha yesterday. During the afternoon the
Minister met with about 25 representatives of the muslim community, likewise during
the evening with christian representatives. Both meetings were held in the Governor’s
mansion at Manggadua, Ambon, and were closed to the newsmedia. After the
meeting with the muslim deputation Minister Jusuf Kalla was interviewed by local TV
and other newsmedia. Among other things, he explained why Malino was chosen as
the place for the reconciliatory meeting: (1) The meeting had better take place outside
the Moluccas, as in comparable situations is always done, in order to avoid unwanted
emotional reaction of the local population who want to back-up or direct their
deputation. (2) Malino lies in East Indonesia and close to the Moluccas. Its facilities
are relatively modest / non luxurious, but sufficiently complete. (3) Geografically the
site is undeniably neutral. (4) The office assistants and other facilitators are people
that are not involved either way in the conflict.
The meeting in Malino is scheduled to start on February 11, 2002. Minister Kalla
urged the participants to do their utmost to have this meeting succeed. If not, the
Moluccas will go on destroying itself and ultimately become the least of all Provinces
in Indonesia in matters of education, health and people’s welfare.
Asked by “Siwalima” daily about his opinion on the presence of outsiders (read:
laskar jihad) in the Moluccas, he answered: they have come here in the context of the
conflict; so if the conflict is over, to what purpose should they stay on in the
Moluccas? I am sure they will go home on their own accord; the same thing recently
happened in thePosso area – he said.
The Muslim community and the Christian community at the meeting in Malino will be
represented by 35 delegates each, whereas each of the local newsmedia will be
allowed to dispatch one reporter. That meeting will be “chapter IV” of this effort to
end the conflict – he said – and I perceive that there is a 90% common ground
between the two parties.
Today, February 6, Minister Jusuf Kalla c.s., after having a meeting with the local
government leaders, will return to Jakarta at about noon.
2. UNREST IN THE GONZALO AREA – The strategically situated Diocesan
Conference Centre of “Gonzalo Veloso” and the surrounding area in Karang
Panjang, Ambon, has often been the scene of unrest, especially since June 12, 2001
when there was a bloody attack on the compound and nearby houses [See Reports
188-189]. It is thought that the frequent nocturnal sounds of shooting and explosions
since then have their origin at the nearby Laksar Jihad stronghold at Air Kuning /
Ahuru.
In the morning of Sunday, February 3, 2002, police officer R.Tuwamely, while riding
his vespa down the narrow road at Pala Mas, not far from the Gonzalo compound,
noticed outside the road two men in incomplete military camouflage outfit, probably
just pretending to be part of the military forces. However, at the same moment he was
thrown at by one of them with a molotov cocktail, injuring him at his thigh. The other
shot at him with a rifle, but missed. This happened at a distance of some 50 meters
from a military security post. Military forces then combed out the area, however
without finding a trace of the two snipers. During the following evening and night
sporadic gunfire and the sound of mortars was heard in the area. But people living
there – including those in the many refugees barraques there – have already got
used to it and feel relatively safe thanks to the large number of security forces in and
around the area.
3. QUESTIONABLE INCREASE OF REFUGEES – Every three months the number of
refugees in the Moluccas is counted. Though since long there has not been any
large-scale evacuation or replacing of refugees, nevertheless their number is ever
increasing. Vice Governor for Social Affairs, Mrs. Paula B.Renyaan, uttered her
displeasure with these apparently fictive calculations, obviously meant to contribute to
certain persons’ personal profit.
C.J.Böhm msc,
Crisis Centre Diocese of Amboina
|
