CRISIS CENTRE DIOCESE OF AMBOINA
Jalan Pattimura 32 - Ambon 97124 - Indonesia
Tel 0062 (0)911 342195 Fax 0062 (0)911 355337
E-mail: comamq@ambon.wasantara.net.id
Ambon, December 18, 2001
THE SITUATION IN AMBON / MOLUCCAS – Report no. 215
1. VICTIMIZING THE VICTIMS – The last sentence of our Report of 11 December
(Report 213) was: “Muslim speedboats departed from the muslim stronghold of
Rumahtiga to try and save the victims that had jumped into the water”. Thus the
official recount of what happened. However on December 13 local TV showed victims
in the hospital telling what had actually happened: indeed some speedboats with
muslims came to the site of the disaster, but not in order to save those that had
jumped off the hapless motorboat “California” into the sea. On the contrary they
stabbed those swimming in the water with knives and bayonets, lashed out at them
with anchors or turned their speedboats around in order to hit the victims with their
propellers. Autopsy on the killed Dutchman and other victims indeed showed open
wounds. Apparently mutual hatred between the strifing parties is still very much alive
and it is a long way yet to reconciliation. Christian “Grassroots” leader Emang
Nikijuluw declared to TV reporters that at last the Responsible for the Civil emergy
State (the Governor) should speak out the truth and not keep on beating about the
bush.
2. IDUL FITRI – The Idul Fitri days (16-17 December), marking the end of the
Ramadhan, went undisturbed.
3. INTERNET CONNECTION BACK TO NORMAL – After having been malfunctioning
for two months, internet connection in Ambon has been restored.
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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