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 20, 2002
THE SITUATION IN AMBON / MOLUCCAS – Report No. 239
1. GPP REPORT – We received a report (in Indonesian, of course) from the Christian
GPP / Concerned Women's Movement and its expenditure during 2000 and 2001, of
which we herewith present a summary for those who might be interested in it:
a. 16-18 Febr.2000: formation of mentors of child warriors "Agas" (christian) and
"Linggis" (muslim).
b. On various occasions: participation of GPP members in workshops for
reconciliation, focusing on women and children.
c. Numerous meetings and frequent guidance of children.
d. 23 December 2000: meeting of 150 women of both communities in order to foster
mutual contact between christian and muslim women in the context of Idul Fitri,
Christmas and New Year.
e. 8 March 2001: mass meeting of children of both communities with various
performances of the children, also playing games, concluded with a touching
community singing.
f. 23 July 2001: National Children's Day. In this context several interreligious (muslim
& christian) activities were organized:
- a one-day workshop for children was organized on July 12.
- contest of colouring pictures (Kindergarten), drawing pictures (elementary), writing a
story (secondary) on 19-20 July.
- On July 23 about one thousand children were gathered: they did performances of
local dances and songs.
g. Communal circumcision of 150 muslim children and baptism of 200 christian
children.
h. Free surgery on harelip of 30 children.
i. Distribution of toothbrushes and toothpaste to 1.500 children.
j. Exchanging children's plastic weaponry for other playthings (1.500 children).
k. Three days' Workshop on the problem of the "children-of-war" for muslim and
christian women (25-28 July 2001).
l. Dispatching 10 children to the Second Childrens' Congress in Jakarta (26 July – 2
August 2001).
A number of these activities were also carried out on smaller scale in various
neighbourhoods in town and in refugee camps.
m. Schoolfees à 25.000 rupiah (US$ 2,40 / Eur 2.55) are being paid each month for 60
Agas and Linggis children. Funds to this end are provided by an Adoption organisation
in the Netherlands ("foster parents").
n. 24-25 October 2001: large-scale meeting for youngsters, focused on prevention of
narcotics and free sex. Following a suggestion of the Jakarta Congress (supra) a
childrens' "parliament" was established.
o. Participating in a cooperative effort of 25 local NGO-s, calling themselves Jaringan
Tabaos Mahina Maluku (JTMM), which means something like "Web of Mahina
Proclaiming", established in November 2001. It is meant to enhance discussion on
both the fate and the vocation of women and children. The JTMM on 24 December
2001 organized a large-scale peace demonstration and went up to meet the Governor,
the Provincial Legislative Council and various officials, focusing on:
- Stop the conflict: the women and children have suffered enough already.
- Miss Ambon, take heed (scl. of soldiers and other seducing forces).
- Mahina Maluku, let us build a new Maluku.
To meet expenditure on all these activities the GPP was financially supported by
Unicef and a number of private persons and organisations.
Total expenditure: Rupiah 303.315.000,- = about US$ 29,000.- = about Eur 30.750,-
The report was signed by the secretary of the GPP, Mrs. Oliva Lasol.
2. "MALUKU CHILDREN'S PARLIAMENT CELEBRATES VALENTINE DAY – As
reported by "Siwalima" daily, a number of Secondary School children – united in the
"Maluku Children's Parliament (see no. 1 supra) – yesterday went up to the
Governor's Office building as a follow-up of Valentine Day. They happily sang love
songs and distributed red paper flowers to everybody they met there. The flowers were
accompanied by pieces of paper in the shape of a heart with sentences written on it
such as "Do not divide us, children of the Moluccas", "Do not involve us in the
conflict", "Stop the violence towards children". The children mingled one with another
regardless of religion or ethnic lineage.
3. TIME LIMITS – National Supreme Police Commander General Da'i Bachtiar allows
a time limit of three months to the conflicting parties in the Moluccas to surrender all
weaponry. After that, repressive measures will be taken towards anybody who is
found to be in possession of any weaponry illegally.
Police Chief Commander for the Moluccas, Brigader General Sunarko Danu Ardanto,
has fixed March 1st, 2002, as the deadline for all mass media to stop any provocative
broadcasting, reports and articles.
After consultation with the Minister for Political and Security Affairs, National Supreme
Police Commander General Da'i Bachtiar told the press that he will advise the
President to repeal the Civil Emergency State for the Provinces of the Moluccas and
the North Moluccas, since the situation there has much improved lately.
C.J.Böhm msc,
Crisis Centre Diocese of Amboina
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