MASSACRE BEGINS IN CENTRAL SULAWESI!!
For more information, please visit: http://www.persecution.org
THIS IS AN URGENT MESSAGE, PLEASE DISTRIBUTE TO YOUR CONTACTS.
THANK YOU.
From: Ian Freestone
Sent: Sunday, December 02, 2001 5:42 PM
Subject: MASSACRE BEGINS IN CENTRAL SULAWESI!!
As you can see from the following two messages, the feared massacre in Central
Sulawesi is beginning. The situation is URGENT!!
If you are in the media, I am available for radio interviews all day Monday, +61-2-9977
3597 (Sydney)
Others of you, please use whatever influence you have to raise the alarm about this.
Ian Freestone
Maluku Support Project
ian@rnc.org.au
Dec 2, 5.40p.m.
-----Original Message-----
From: Jeff Hammond [mailto:jeffhammond@bigpond.com]
Sent: Sunday, 2 December 2001 4:20 AM
Subject: The massacre is beginning
Importance: High
I'm in Jakarta as I write this, and it's MIDNIGHT Saturday night (in Tentena it's 1.00
am Sunday morning). I have just been on the phone with Tentena. The village of Sepe,
one of the last Christian strongholds has fallen and is being looted, destroyed and
burned to the ground by the jihad terrorists, even as I type and the village of Silanca is
under attack. Reports from the fleeing villagers state that military units have joined in
with the jihad terrorists in attacking the villages and the fleeing villagers who fled to the
military barracks in Kawua are being turned away by the military even as I type this
email.
The next section comes from reports to the Jakarta Post.
Other eyewitness accounts point to scores of dead and thousands of mainly-Christian
homes destroyed at the hands of well organized, uniformed militia equipped with
machine-guns, rocket launchers and even bulldozers. Father Jimmy, told The Jakarta
Post by telephone from Tentena, about 40 kilometers south of Poso town, on Friday
that more than 50,000 residents and refugees were in danger of fresh attacks after
extremist militia bombarded the villages of Betalemba, Patiwunga,Tangkura,
Sanginora and Debua over the last three days.
"All houses and other buildings in Sanginora and Debua were flattened when the
terrorist groups attacked the two villages on Thursday. They are nearing Tentena
where around 50,000 villagers from Betalemba, Patiwunga and Tangkura are taking
refuge," he said. He said the militiamen would easily capture Tentena as only a dozen
security personnel were stationed in the subdistrict while a score of security
personnel from the Palu Military District and the Police's Mobile Brigade had already
pulled out because of a lack of logistical supports from the Poso administration.
"The civilian militias have killed many local people and burned down thousands of
houses and churches in five villages located between Poso and Tentena over the last
three days," the bishop told the Post here on Thursday.
This news needs to be quickly brought to the attention of Presidents, Prime Ministers
and the UN.
The residents of Tentena have been awoken and all men are being put on guard
around the city while the women and children have packed small bags to prepare to
evacuate into the jungles.
If these terrorists make it through to Tentena, the massacre will begin.
We could be within 48 hours of the final onslaught. Urgent pressure must be put on
the Indonesian Govt, or if they continue to condone this terrorism and genocide to
take place, they must face the condemnation of the international community. The
Human Rights Commission in Geneva needs to be given this information.
Pressure on man may not be enough, nor soon enough, so we need to cry out to the
Lord for His supernatural intervention.
Jeff Hammond
MESSAGE TWO:
TO: FELLOW PILGRIMS
FROM: C W COLE
1 DECEMBER 2001
The Christians of the Poso regency of Central Sulawesi continue to be under attack
from Muslim jihad warriors (Laskar Jihad). The number of jihad warriors continues to
increase. Nine hundred arrived on Wednesday, 28 November 2001 and a thousand
according to police reports arrived the previous week. These men are being equipped
with automatic rifles, bombs and are using trucks including gasoline tanker trucks to
attack and burn and destroy Christian villages. The Christian youth are attempting to
defend their homeland with handmade weapons (rifles, bow and arrows, etc.).
The Muslims have advanced at close as 15 miles to Tentena the last large Christian
town. Jeff Hammond who visited the area last week writes, "63,000 Christians are now
trapped in the Tentena area and are waiting for the slaughter to begin."
I am getting first hand reports from the Crisis Center in Tentena. The entire Christian
community of Tentena has jointly written an appeal to the UN for intervention. They
are appealing for international intervention because the Indonesian government has
failed to provide protection for them. They feel helpless as thousands flee their homes
and watch their homes, schools and churches burned to the ground.
I spoke with the American ambassador Friday afternoon. Friends and I shared the
desperate situation of the Christians. We asked the ambassador to put formal and
informal pressure upon the Indonesian government to protect the Christians of Central
Sulawesi. I told the ambassador that we have proof of Afghan and Pakistan men
training the Muslim warriors. He asked for a copy of the proof. I had already sent it to
the embassy. He is very concerned about the Laskar Jihad.
I have contacted the Dutch and Australian embassies and CNN and LA Times. The
LA Times reporter asked for proof of the Afghan and Pakistan terrorists operating in
Central Sulawesi. I sent him a copy of an internal police report. The police officer who
made the report is coming to Jakarta tomorrow. We are hoping that he will be
interviewed by the news media.
The September 11th attacks frightened
Americans. Think about the fear in the hearts of the people of the villages of
Betelemba, Tangkura, Dewua, Singginora, Sepe Silanca, Pandiri and others whose
homes were attacked this week by terrorists and destroyed. In America we had the
reassurance that the police, FBI, CIA, and military were doing all within their power to
protect Americans. US fighter jets flew over the cities of America to provide protection.
The Christians of Poso have seen the police and military flee into the forest as villages
are attacked. They are getting no protection. The police who are station in the
Tentena area are afraid for their lives. They have three rifles to defend against
thousands of armed men with automatic rifles.
Please contact your government representative and asked for him/her to contact the
Indonesian embassy in Washington, DC. I can supply documents and maps.
Pray! Pray for the innocent and helpless! Pray for peace! Pray for those who will not
have a place to worship this Sunday as their church was destroyed this week. One
woman didn't cry when her house was burned down but she has been broken hearted
since her church was burned down. Pray for mothers and fathers as they seek ways
to feed their children. Pray for their faith. Pray for the persecutors. Pray for hatred to
be taken from their hearts. Pray that the Christians will rejoice. They have a far great
place prepared for them in heaven.
The following Saturday news story in The Jakarta Post tells a more accurate story of
what is happening.
May the Lord bless you.
Charles W Cole
Jakarta, Indonesia
Poso refugees in grave danger as mobs threaten
Ridwan Max Sijabat, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
An estimated 50,000 mainly Christian refugees fleeing brutal sectarian violence in
Central Sulawesi could be attacked in the absence of military or police protection, a
Catholic priest in the area says.
Other eyewitness accounts point to scores of dead and thousands of mainly-Christian
homes destroyed at the hands of well organized, uniformed militia equipped with
machine-guns, rocket launchers and even bulldozers.
Father Jimmy, told The Jakarta Post by telephone from Tentena, about 40 kilometers
south of Poso town, on Friday that more than 50,000 residents and refugees were in
danger of fresh attacks after extremist militia bombarded the villages of Betalemba,
Patiwunga,Tangkura, Sanginora and Debua over the last three days.
"All houses and other buildings in Sanginora and Debua were flattened when the
terrorist groups attacked the two villages on Thursday. They are nearing Tentena
where around 50,000 villagers from Betalemba, Patiwunga and Tangkura are taking
refuge," he said.
He said the militiamen would easily capture Tentena as only a dozen security
personnel were stationed in the subdistrict while a score of security personnel from
the Palu Military District and the Police's Mobile Brigade had already pulled out
because of a lack of logistical supports from the Poso administration.
Father Jimmy said the local administration had "allowed" militiamen to destroy
predominantly Catholic Tentena to make it similar with predominantly Muslim Poso
which had been destroyed in the past.
He said local religious leaders and security authorities needed to hold immediate
talks to reconcile and work out emergency steps needed to halt the conflict.
Meanwhile, in Jakarta, Manado Bishop Mgr. Josef Suwatan OSC called on the central
government and security forces to reign in the armed civilian militias conducting a
terror campaign in Central Sulawesi.
"The civilian militias have killed many local people and burned down thousands of
houses and churches in five villages located between Poso and Tentena over the last
three days," the bishop told the Post here on Thursday.
Mgr. Suwatan was here to meet government and security officials to draw attention to
the prolonged sectarian conflict that has claimed more than 2,000 lives since it
erupted three years ago.
The Manado Diocese supervising North Sulawesi, Gorontalo and northern Central
Sulawesi, has established a crisis center with Muslim and Christian faiths to help end
the bloody violence. "All forms of violence must be halted against local people,
regardless their religion or race," the bishop said.
Mgr. Suwatan questioned the absence of efforts between the central government and
security authorities to restore law and order in the regency, saying the extremist
groups freely killed local people and destroyed villages.
He claimed the campaign was aimed at destroying communities and cultures in the
area as the armed militiamen targeted people, homes, churches, mosques and
school buildings.
The bishop said hundreds of militiamen using military uniforms had launched
well-organized raids on villages whose populations mainly comprised Christian people.
The rebels, mostly from East Java, were equipped with AK-47 guns, rocket launchers,
bulldozers and circular saws.
"Both the Police and the Indonesian Military should immediately take tight measures
to control the militiamen and disarm local people," he said.
Poso Regent Muin Pusadat was not available for comment on Friday.
Email From Jeff Hammond, Jakarta Indonesia jeffhammond@bigpond.com
Dear Bob & Debbie:
Here's the latest situation.
Nov 29, the towns of Betelemba, Tangkura and Dewua have fallen to the jihad.
Nov 30 Sangginora fell. They are now only 15 miles from Tentena. I was rung 5 times
in the day from leaders in Tentena who are urging prayer and international intervention.
Without a miracle the Christians don't feel they can hold on more than another week
or two. 63,000 Christians are now trapped in the Tentena area and waiting for the
slaughter to begin.
The latest on Poso-Tentena is not good.
A boat arrived yesterday afternoon (Wednesday Nov 28) in Poso with another 900
jihad. A couple of nights ago Tangkura fell as the numbers of jihad were too great to
withstand. They also attacked Ranononcu with larger numbers but were withstood.
The news is a little confusing but it seems there was an attack last night also behind
Ranononcu in Kawua (after Ranononcu on the way to Tentena before getting to
Pandiri where the military base is) and 2 jihad commanders were killed by the military
and now the jihad plan to attack the military HQ's in Kawua!! We hear that could
happen tonight if they can break through. Dr. Ketut in Tentena said "The Christians in
Tentena are quite stressed out and many are fearful of what might happen in the next
couple of days. They don't know what else they can do. Please do what you can to
help us."
The situation is getting worse. I go to Jakarta tomorrow to try to stir things up there
and we have an emergency meeting tomorrow (Friday) night with several Generals.
The need is real. It is urgent, and 63,000 Christians need your help. Please pray.
Please appeal to government representatives to appeal to the Indonesian government
to stop this massacre from happening.
Bless Indonesia Today - Do your B.I.T And pray!
Last night (Nov 30) I arrived in Jakarta and for the next 4 days I have appointments
with retired General(Christians), politicians, Embassies etc. The latest report is that 3
trucks of military have arrived in Tentena from the south and that the Jihad have
withdrawn 10km from Tangkura for no apparent reason (that we can identify at the
moment). But this could be just a tactical move. The pressure in the area is intense
and today I have travelling from Tentena 2 VIP's - the Police Chief and a
Parliamentarian who are supposed to fly to Jakarta tomorrow and with me represent
the Poso people at these meetings. However, as yet they have not made it through to
Palu and it's now 8.00pm so we are quite concerned. They left at 7.30am this morning
and should have arrived by 2.00pm. So
I would appreciate prayer for them. I'll let you know when I have word.
IFC
Dr. Jeff Hammond
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