From: "Joshua Latupatti" joshualatupatti@hotmail.com
Date: Thu, 20 Dec 2001 14:03:44 +0000
SERIES OF NATIONAL CRIMES AGAINST MALUKU (02)
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Greeting,
If it is somewhat difficult to realize how powerful and brutal this "laskar jihad" really is,
just take a look at how the Tantui Mobile Brigade's Base in Ambon, was destroyed by
"laskar jihad". The whole complex was totally burnt down, the weapon storage was
tore and hundreds of piece of fire arms and ammunition were stolen, while its
commander was shot to death. Now, it can be easily visualized how many Christian
villages were destroyed and taken over by "laskar jihad", who claimed that these
villages were the gift of Allah. Realizing that this claim had no legal base, "laskar
jihad" invented a false history these Christian villages that such as about Waai and
Poka-Rumahtiga, that they were Moslem villages, before the Portuguese and Dutch
occupied Maluku. They claimed that it was these two European colonials that had
planted the seed of disputes and conflicts between Christians and Moslems of
Maluku. It is Moslem who was supposed to have all the credits for fighting these
colonials out of Maluku, while Christians (and Catholics) were on colonials' side. To
the top of these series of dishonesties, "laskar jihad" even claimed that Pattimura, a
National hero from Maluku, whose real name was "Thomas Matulessy", was a
Moslem. In fact, Maluku was a peaceful province after the Dutch left. A traditional
brotherhood between Moslems and Christians called "Pela-Gandong", had ruled
Maluku in peace and harmony for hundreds of years in which environment did
Moslems from Buton(Southeast Sulawesi) and Makassar(South Sulawessi) came to
Maluku and were allowed to live on mostly traditional territory of Christians villages for
more than a hundred years. It is the carefully and consistently planned crime of this
state, through Jakarta, that had destroyed peace and harmony of Maluku, as it still
being carried on by "laskar jihad" to this very moment!
Viewing the tragedy in Maluku as only a suffering of Christians is a mistake. Moslems
of Maluku are living under a tremendous depression too, especially those who refused
to take part in Jakarta's unclean policy and hold on still to the old Malukan tradition.
Unfortunately, they have to be suffering in silence to retain their lives and their
families'. A Moslem couple in Karang Panjang area of Ambon were blown up along
with their house, simply because they did not agree on "alas jihad's" activities. Two
Moslems from Buton (South-East Sulawesi) were slaughtered and hung in Al Fatah's
yard, just because their jobs required them to communicate with Christians. Forced
sexual intercourse have been regularly found to be inseparable part of "lasar jhad's"
activities. Several secret calls have been received from Moslem women who were
trapped in Al Fatah , asking their Christian friends to attack and kill them so they will
be no longer forced to be 'sex slaves' for these "jihad warriors"! It is well known that Al
Fatah's Hospital had helped to deliver forty infants in one day, as a result of these
forced free sex activities. After destroying a Christian village of 'Sirisori Amalatu' in
Saparua islands, the combine attacker of "laskar jihad" and the 403-army regiment
had celebrate their victory by performing free-sex party with several Moslem women of
an adjacent Moslem village of Sisirori-Islam, in the ruined Church building of Sirisori
Amalatu village. It was eyewitnessed that in the assault on the Christian village of
Ariate in Ceram island, "laskar jihad" had used naked women to break the
concentration of Ariate defenders and a topless girl was seen sitting on a speedboat
letting her breasts sucked by the attackers. So, it would be easily predict what would
have happened to a Christian girl if she fell into the hands of "laskar jihad". In addition
to that, Moslems would rather run their business away from "laskal jihad" so that they
would not be robbed by the 'jihad donation collectors' in the name of Islam. These
facts wrap up another 'state crime' against the entire people of Maluku.
Based on the above facts about 'what "laskar jihad" really is', any normal person
wouldn't dare to identify "laskar jihad" as 'true Moslem'. Absurdly, several influential
Islamic institutions like Indonesian Ulama Council (MUI) and several high rank
government officials such as the vice President, Hamzah Haz, and the chairman of
People Assembly (MPR), Amien Rais, would persistently regard "laskar jihad" as true
defenders of Islam and the unity of the country. This perception had remarkably
influenced national policies in dealing with the conflict. Many confused soldiers had
confessed to have been indoctrinated before leaving their bases that their main task in
Maluku would be to oppressed the 'rebellion of the Malukan Christians' against the
Republic of Indonesia. One of the former Chief of Regional Police Force in Maluku
once complained that 'the troops refused his orders as the top commander of regional
security endorsement in Maluku and kept carrying out orders from their original
commanders at each bases. These facts did explained the strange behavior of the
many units of endorsement troop sent to Maluku. The National Legislative Council
(DPR), in relation to that, has never seriously taken care of Maluku, while several of
its specially formed task forces for Maluku could only be the channels for "laskar
jihad's" goals and a skillful spender of the national fund. The National People
Assembly (MPR), on the other hand, has never given a chance to Maluku to be in its
agenda. Maluku has been abused and left drowned in its people's sweat, blood and
tears by the Republic of Indonesia!
Is this "laskar jihad" connected to "Osama bin Laden" and his "Al Qaeda"? The
presence of Afghanistan fighters in Maluku and Poso is evident. Osama bin Laden
and Al Qaeda ran their terrorism activities to all over the world from Afghanistan under
protection of Taliban regime. Therefore, there were four different parties win
Afghanistan which were Taliban regime, Northern Territory Alliance, Al Qaeda and
regular Afghanistan people. From these, it was only Al Qaedan people that had all the
motives to leave Afghanistan to spread terror everywhere. It is unlikely that some
Afghanistan fighters in Maluku and Poso were Mujahidin fighters, since the true
Afghan Mujahidin was the Northern Territory Alliance. Why would any of those
Talibans want to leave Afghanistan while they are enjoying a luxury and flourishing
lives as an absolute ruler of the country? When rejecting the alleged connection to Al
Qaeda, there were ambiguities in "laskar jihad's" arguments. As said by one leader of
"laskar jihad", "Ayip Syarifuddin", Jaffar Umar Tahlib did met Osama bin Laden in
'Peshawar', 1997, in a seminar but it was a quick chat. In contrast, "laskar jihad's"
press claimed that the meeting took place in Afghanistan, ant was a serious
discussion, in which Jaffar learned that Al Qaeda was actually 'a bad Islamic group'!
This then became "laskar jihad's" second argument, why they had refused to work
with Osama bin Laden. If Al Qaeda in fact 'a bad Islamic group' protected by the
Taliban regime, then the Taliban itself must be 'a bad Islamic group', too. Then, why
would "laskar jihad" embraced Taliban and rejected Al Qaeda? As a conclusion,
"laskar jihad" Ahlus Sunah Wal Jamaah in Indonesia is actually very much related to
Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda.
"Hendropriyono", an army General and the Chief of National Intelligence Agency had
recently made a statement saying that 'Al Qaeda's traces was evident in Poso,
Central Sulawesi'. It didn't take to long before this state- ment finally picked up
criticisms from various sources. In the very day, the Minister of Justice and Human
Rights, "Yusril Ihza Mahendra" rejected Hendrioriono's statement saying that the
Government have investigated and found no bank accounts or assets belonging to
international terrorist groups in Indonesia'. This is kind rebuttal should not have be
come from any high rank officials Mahendra, since Al Qaeda can always use any
Indonesian to open a bank account in Indonesia. Another criticism came from "Andi
Ma- ppetahang Fatwa" from the House of Representative, saying that 'Hendropriyono's
statement would insult any particular religion (Islam). This kind of statement is
actually a habit of those who feel threatened by any fact about "laskar jihad" and they
were defenseless. They generally go behind Islam and claim that whoever criticize
them is criticizing Islam a well. A criticism also came from General Secretary of
Indonesian Council of Ulama (MUI), "Dien Syamsuddin", saying that Indonesia is free
from Al Qaeda. He didn't follow his statement argument with any proves he may have
found but then switched it into the matter of neutrality, that there are many "other
"laskars" to be exposed beside "laskar jihad". He said he was sure that many
International NGOs were also involved in both conflict in Maluku and Poso, and he
meant the Christian-Western NGO's. This is a typical lies MUI always used to
obscure the truth they are allergic to. In no time flat, a response came from the
National Legislative Council (DPR) which had plane to call and question
Hendropriyono about his statement. The Commission-I of the DPR now feel like
requesting a prove and ask Hendripriyono to provide one, while this Commission never
feel like having an obligation to provide the necessary proves to all the statements
they had made regarding RMS as a Christians separatist movement who initiated the
conflict in Maluku. This was turned out to be quite disgusting that under those
criticisms, Hendropriyono then chanced his own statement and added RMS beside Al
Qaeda! This is the second time Hendropriyono had pointed his finger to RMS as the
source of conflict, in Maluku and now in Poso. This retired army General, according to
an RMS's speaker, have a sick mind. The National Commission of Human Rights did
not want to miss the train in finding some sort of foreign training compound in Poso
but refused to give more specification on it. Likewise, the Coordinating Minister for
Political and Security Affair, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono came um with the same
statement, but he then stressed out that 'both parties in Poso was backed up by
some International organizations, but with no details on names and whether all of
those are 'Al Qaeda-alike organization or not'. Even so, one can easily figure these
out that Yudoyono was trying to put an image of "a Christian type of Al Qaeda" in
everybody's mind. It's typical. Actually, the quarrel about Hendropri- yono's statement
does not essentially matter here. It was just brought up so that readers may have a
better picture of how crimes were set up, and how they interrelate some particulars
officials, officers, politicians and religious leaders in this crooked nation! Al Qaeda has
been in Maluku and Poso!
To prevent its people from a slow extinction and to regain its dignity, people of Maluku
around the world, Moslems and Christians, decided to constitute a "Malukan
Sovereign Forum" (FKM), in December, 2000, which has three control centers in
Ambon (Indonesia), United States and Europe. FKM had sent a couple of letters to
the Indonesian Government including the National Legislative Council (DPR) and the
People Assembly (MPR) demanding to get some answers concerning Maluku and the
RMS. So far, there is not a single reply. FKM had also asked for a peaceful dialogue
with Indonesian authority but shamefully, this Government and both the National
Legislative Council (DPR) and the People Assembly (MPR) are too coward to meet
the challenge. FKM had once paid a visit to the National Legislative Council (DPR)
who then hypocritically turned its back on FKM and chose to hold "laskar jihad" in its
arms. This representatives of the people did not want to listen to some of the people
arguing that they would not talk to those who are separating themselves from the
nation. Even if they were in fact correct, wouldn't it be true that this particular situation
even urgently required them to respond as the representatives of the people? So why
wouldn't they? How could there be no reply from the Government? The plain answer
for these questions are, "they are afraid to face the truth!" The whole system of this
Government, executive, legislative and judicative, is crooked. This is in some ways,
the worst Government in history. A government that can only hide behind "laskar
jihad" and point its finger over the shoulder of the phony Ustadz, "Jaffar Umar Thalib"
accusing the people of Maluku with something they cannot prove.
On April 25, 2001, FKM commemorated the Independence Day of RMS in Ambon,
raising three flags of UN, Indonesia and RMS. The celebration lasted in about ten
minutes and then peacefully discontinued by the local Police. As a result, the
Malukan FKM leader, dr. Alex Manuputty was held in Police custody. After being
tossed back and forth Ambon and Jakarta Police Headquarters, he finally brought to
court for breaking the rules of the Malukan Civil Emergency Situation Authority. He
was then sentenced for four months in jail. This trial was a surprise since it did not
touch the issue of separatism at all as many of its campaigner had expected. This
was just set up to distract people's attention from "laskar jihad's" brutalities. It was
also designed to keep the issue of separatism in the air, with no intention to clear it
out. To demonstrate their neutrality, the Jakarta Police Headquarter apprehended
"Jaffar Umar Thalib" in Surabaya and brought him to Jakarta. This turned out to be just
a fake and a smokescreen to fool people, since the Police was purposely disobeying
police standard procedure which was used by "laskar jigad's" lawyers to free Jaffar.
He was charged only for taking a man's life by applying the "Syariat Islam" (Islamic
Law). The man was stoned to death based only on his own confession that he has
committed an adultery which had never been proven. Jaffar Umar Thalib has not yet
been held responsible for many lives he and his "laskar jihad" had brutally taken, so
much suffering he had brought on people of Maluku (now Poso), and so many houses,
Church buildings, villages, government and police properties he had robbed and
destroyed. He was set free, although he had violated the ideology (Pancasila) of the
nation and had therefore denied the positive laws of the country, while Mr.Manuputty
was sent to for month in jail for defying a local Civil Emergency regulation. Jaffar Umar
Thalib has been granted all the freedom to go on with his hatred and bloodthirsty
campaigns by misusing Islamic teachings. Does this not unmistakably demonstrate
the crime of the Nation against the people of Maluku or does it?
Try to imagine how much damage a bad literature can cause. A horrifying book that
had made noticeable contributions to the escalation of the conflict in Maluku and
Poso was written by a retired army Brigade General, "Rustam Kastor". He had
distorted many facts about Maluku to provoke rages among Moslems and forced
some Christian owned bookstores to distribute that evil book. The introduction to this
book was shockingly written by a professor of Gajah Mada University in Jogjakarta,
who was then became the Defense Minister in Abdurahman Wahid's cabinet. How
could peace in Maluku be restored while scholars, politicians, government officials,
military officers are in fact, deeply involved with the conflict? When was on duty in
Ambon, Rustam Castor was well known for using his position to rouse some disputes
between Moslems and Christians. He tried to unlawfully take over Church properties
to support Moslems activities such as building a Mosque, claiming that he was
providing public needs. It is bizarre to learn that a provocateur and a deceptive writer
such as this man has never been touched by the law and his evil books are still freely
circulating in the country. Couldn't this fact be said as a national felony against the
people of Maluku?
Look at the two term-Coordinating Minister of Political Affair and Security! He
manipulated the data resulting from the conflict in Maluku. In his report to the
Government and the Legislative Council, he wrote down a number of destroyed
Mosques in Maluku during a four month period of conflict which is in fact higher than
the total number of all Mosques in both provinces, Ma- luku and North Maluku. This
retired army General, "Susilo Bambang Yu- dhoyono", has never been even
questioned for this kind of manipulation and then unexpectedly appointed by the
recent President of Indonesia, Megawati Soekarno Putri, to be a top Minister of
Security. Instead of shifting attitude towards a better state official, Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono is now walking around spreading new corrupted stories against Maluku. In
the launching of another deceitful book written by the Indonesian Council of Ulama
(MUI), and in a discussion on 'Overcoming the crisis of national integration' in the
Brawijaya University, Malang, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono generalized the problem in
Maluku and Poso with that in Aceh, as 'separatism movements', and the Government
had deployed 51 battalions of Military and Police to the corresponding regions. Only a
fool can't see what would be the action of the 51 battalions of Military and Police like
against people who are alleged to be separatists. The term 'separatist' would in fact,
be 'a license to kill' from the Government of Indonesia to anybody they choose to be
viewed as a 'true national integration defender'. In case of the conflict of Maluku, the
'license to kill' was rewarded to "laskar jihad", as Sulsilo Bambang Yudhoyono,
Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs, praised the deceitful MUI's
book entitled 'sewing peace in Maluku'. How could peace be sewed while a bunch of
rioters, robbers, rappers, murderers, and liars are still present in Maluku and regarded
as indigenous people of Maluku? How could such a highest Religious Institution
propose peace between Moslems Christian in Maluku, while renouncing its "fatwa"
(statement) to separate the two arguing that Christians are unclean and enemies to
the 'sole Allah'? This Indonesian Council of Ulama (MUI) and Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono are working to their bones to cover up their criminal acts against the
people of Maluku through the distribution of the content of their corrupted hearts and
minds, based on their two silly words of 'separatism and integration'! Watch out for
"Ysusf Kala", the Minster of People Welfare since the 'Kala' clan is quite famous for
promoting an anti-Chinese and anti-Christian in Makassar, South Sulawesi (remember
Haji Kala). People of Poso should be very careful in identifying the 'member' of the
delegation, since the 'white-side' could be "laskar jihad" or be controlled by it. The
very same trick was applied here in Maluku, so be careful!
Let's take a look at the National Commission of Human Rights through the well known
three consecutive incidents; the Gonzalo Veloso massacre, the Ahuru combat, and
the Kebun Cengkeh sweeping. "Laskar jihad's" special troop wearing dark uniform and
masks intruded a Roman Catholic complex of Gonzalo Veloso and slaughtered its
unaware residences and burned their houses. A woman who was a wife and a mother
had left alone crying after the small and totally burned corps of her husband and the
body of her son, and no one, not even the National Commission of Human Rights
(Komnas HAM) had ever talked about human rights for this poor widow and many
other victims of this Gonzalo Veloso massacre. "Laskar jihad" then attacked the army
and police unit stationed in Ahuru area of Karang Panjang, Ambon, since their
brutality in Gonzalo Veloso was disturbed and discontinued by this security unit.
Because "laskar jihad's" attack was just too much for this security unit, then the
Combined Battalion (YonGab) was sent to back them up. The presence of the
Combined Battalion did turned the situation around and it was "laskar jihad" who had
to run for their lives, while YonGab had to lose one of its soldier. The operation
continued with a sweeping for fire- arms to "laskar jihad" compound in Kebun
Cengkeh where the Combined. Battalion would have to face a massive rejection. The
Combine Battalion could finally take over the main post of "lakar jihad" where the
provocative and illegal radio station was. Some pieces of firearms, ammunition and a
cabinet of medicine were found in that center which was afterwards claimed. by
"laskar jikad" to be a clinic. Along with about twenty Islamic hard-liner organizations
as well as the Indonesian Council of Ulama (MUI), then the National Commission of
Human Rights(Komnas HAM) began to talk about human rights. The leader of
MER-C- group had planned to bring the case, called 'the destruction of a hospital'
even to Geneva. Combined Battalion was accused to be a 'Christian separatists' who
tore a National flag saying 'this is no longer needed' and tore a Quran then and
stepped on its pieces. There are many more accusations backed up by the MUI and
the Komnas HAM had been intensively circulated and used by "laskar jihad's"
attorney, "Mahendradatta", to bring the Combined Battalion to court. No one had ever
brought up the simple but important fact that even the presence of "las- kar jihad" in
Maluku was unlawful, and this could be concludes as "illegal possession of illegal
standard firearms by illegal civilians." Wow! Would religion or ethnical background
deviate the "principle of universal justice" and divide humankind into 'human being' and
say, 'inhuman being'. This Nation seem to have lost in a jungle of deceitfulness too far
and too deep! All the MUI and Mahendradatta's efforts seemed to have been to the
trash bin for a while, until the Combine Battalion was completely retracted from
Maluku! "There should never be peace in Maluku, ever" seems to be the National
Commitment for Maluku. And this is apparently true!
Let us jump to some quite fresh incidents after the Combine Battalion had gone. It is
unbelievable that after being attacked for '16 times', there was only about 8 security
personnel stationed in the Christian village of Waimu- lanf, South Buru. Hundreds of
armed attackers then finally wiped out the entire village in one day with no significant
defense by security personnel. The village was robbed before set on fire. Not so long
after that, another Christian village in the same region of the island of Buru, Ewiri, was
also attacked and partially burned down, and there was no necessary preventive
measure taken by the Authority of the Regional Civil Emergency Situation of Maluku.
The Governor did not do anything else beside trying to find an escape goat for his
inconsistency. Then, a ship, K.M California, carrying Christian passenger in Ambon
bay was blasted in front of Rumahtiga shore. In trying to save their lives, some
passengers had to leave the boat when some Moslem's speedboats were seen to be
approaching. Denying that they don't have anything to do with the explosion,
"Republika" and "laskar jihad" claimed that those speedboats were intended to help
the victims. In fact they came to 'victimize the victim' by hitting their heads using their
steel anchors, or having the victims cut by their boat's propellers. This Rumahtiga is a
Christian village taken over by "laskar jihad" and nothing had been done by the local
or national authority of Civil Emergency. This ncident raised the tension in Ambon
when frustration and anger could no longer be bearable. Christian then got out of
control when seeing the Local Legislative Council of Ambon, that resulted in the
destruction of the entire Local Legislative Council Building in Belakang Soya, Ambon.
This should get the Govenor, Saleh Latuconsina and the Local Civil Emergency
Authority in Maluku. In reality, nothing was actually done, until another attack on the
Haturua boat at the same spot that killed nine and wounded two of the Christian
passengers. What were the Governor and the Authority of the Malukan Civil
Emergency Situation doing? Instead of being busy in conducting some investigation
on Waemulang and Ewiri, or about KM. California and now Haturua, he is busy
ordering an investigation on the attack and the destruction of the Local Legislative
Council's building. This is generally how Christians were trapped in made up courts or
in jail. They were pushed to the limit where they got out of control and made
mistakes. Then 'how they got pushed to the limit' will be ignored, but 'their forced
mistakes' would have to be inflated and used to cover up Government's impotencies.
Do not be surprised that the attack on the Local Legislative Council would bring
Christians back to the old accusation about RMS and Christian separatism.
This country ant its Government has been very, very sick. A Country that claims to
embrace God but is even more evil than the devil. A country that claims to have all the
goodness of eastern cultures but turns out to be a very mean creature which no
manner, no heart and no brain. A country which had committed "series major crimes
against the people, their lands, and their seas of Maluku. A country with a special
kind of government that makes me want to throw up. There are more and many more
about this crooked government that can be discussed but it's wise for me to leave just
before I got really sick.
Ambon, December 20, 2001
JL.
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