CRISIS CENTRE DIOCESE OF AMBOINA
Jalan Pattimura 32 - Ambon 97124 - Indonesia
Tel 0062 (0)911 342195 Fax 0062 (0)911 355337
Ambon, February 13, 2002
THE SITUATION IN AMBON / MOLUCCAS - Report No. 235
1. FEBRUARY 12, 2002: A DAY TO REMEMBER? - "Peace at last" appeared to be
the fervent wish of both the Muslim and the Christian delegations during their meeting
in Malino. Yesterday, February 12, 2002, is apt to become a memorable day for the
Moluccas, because it is the day the Muslims, the Christians and the Government
agreed to end the strife and come to terms one with another. The agreement was
signed yesterday afternoon by the 35 Muslim and 35 Christian delegates, the team of
mediators and the observers, putting the total at one hundred signatories. The signing
mediators included Coordinating Ministers Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Yusuf
Kalla, Supreme Police Commander Da'i Bahtiar and the Governor of the Moluccas
M.Latuconsina.
2. "MOLUCCAS AGREEMENT OF MALINO" -
The "Moluccas Agreement of Malino" consists of eleven items, which we try to
translate as follows :
(1) To end the conflict and all kinds of violence.
(2) To uphold supremacy of justice in a lawful, stringent and honest way,
impartially and supported by the whole population.
(3) To refuse and combat all sorts of separatist activities, including the RMS
(South Moluccas Republic Movement).
(4) The people of the Moluccas have the right to be and to work and to be
active in the whole of Indonesia. Likewise Indonesian non-Moluccans have
the right to be and to work and to be active in the Province of the Moluccas
legally and rightly under the condition that they respect and obey local
culture and uphold security and local regulations.
(5) All kinds of organisations, denominations, groups or laskar are not allowed
to be in possession of weaponry without permission. Either they must hand
over their weapons, or the weapons will be confiscated whereupon they will
be prosecuted according to the law.
(6) A national independent team will be established to investigate
conclusively on the event of January 19, 1999 (the start of the conflict).
(7) The refugees / IDPs will be returned to their original homesteads, however
without any compulsion, maintaining all of their legal rights. This to be
carried out in stages according to local actual conditions.
(8) The Government will assist the people in matters of mental and social
rehabilitation, and in rebuilding the economy and public facilities.
(9) Stability and firmness of the Military and Police Forces, according to their
respective functions, is categorically necessary in order to maintain discipline
and security in the whole area.
(10)In order to guarantee correct communication and harmony between the
adherents of the various religious denominations in the Moluccas, all forms of
religious services and religious display will respect the local diversity and
culture.
(11)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.
3. MUCH ADO ABOUT HUMANITARIAN AID TO REFUGEES - There is a lot of
confusion about the real number of the refugees, especially those in Ambon and on
the island of Seram. The problem in a nutshell: not all of the refugees have been
registered, whereas on the other hand not a few have themselves registered twice,
either mistakenly or in order to receive double allowances.
C.J.Böhm msc,
Crisis Centre Diocese of Amboina
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