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
We try to send this message via the local post-office
Ambon, October 27, 2001
THE SITUATION IN AMBON / MOLUCCAS - Report no. 205
Note: From October 16 on up to now - again - Ambon has had no internet-connection.
1. REACTION TO USA ATTACK ON AFGHANISTAN - According to press agency
"Antara", several hundreds of students from the muslim University Darusallam
("Unidar"), Ambon, launched a demonstration on Thursday, October 11, 2001. Among
other things, they demanded that President George W.Bush should be sentenced by
the International Court of Justice. They read their statement to Vice Governor Dra.
Paula B.Renyaan (the Governor himself being in Jakarta then). They also urged to
boycott USA products and said the Indonesian Government should sever diplomatic
and political relations with this country. Further, the UN should immediately stop the
USA and its allies attacking the Afghan civilians. The OKI members (Islamic
Conference Organisation) were urged to declare jihad fi sabilillah on the USA and its
allies. Further they condemned the burning down of a mosque in Australia and one in
the Netherlands. We needn't expand on the obvious answer they received from both
the Vice Governor and a lawyer, Mohammad Ely SH. Anyway, the mouse had roared,
and it dispersed peacefully.
2. DR. ALEX MANUPUTTY ON TRIAL - The official lawsuit against Dr.Alex Manuputty
started in Ambon on Friday morning, October 19, 2001. He has been charged with
disobeying the Governor's orders by hoisting the RMS flag (see Report 201 no.3 from
September 26, 2001). The location of the Court House is in a christian area, but close
to A.J.Patty Street which is a muslim area. On both sides large numbers of people
gathered, and the security forces had their hands full in calming down the masses.
During the following days the sessions were continued. However, for fear of his own
safety, on several occasions the defendant did not turn up or arrived late at the
courthouse. His lawyers doubt the legalness of the whole process since it is not a
local judge that is handling the case but a detached / outside judge, whereas the
Responsible for the Civil Emergency State (governor M.S. Latuconsina) is considered
to have no right to intermingle in the judicial process by appointing a judge from
outside. There was also the case of a witness, named Abner Matitaputty, who, when
arriving at the nearby barricade and asking for permission to go on to the court
building, was beaten up by a Brimob police officer.Alex Manuputty's lawyers
meanwhile, on Thursday October 25, have entered at the local police department an
official impeachment of governor M.S.Latuconsina as the Responsible for the Civil
Emergency State. He is accused of slandering the name of the FKM (Forum
Kedaulatan Maluku). He is also suspected of being involved in protracting the conflict
in de Moluccas. One of Alex Manuputty's lawyers, Chris Rahayaan, contends that
there is much prejudice in the whole FKM case, because the Indonesian Government
refuses to acknowledge the independency of the South Moluccas (RMS = Republik
Maluku Selatan). So - he said - "believe it or not, but we will bring the FKM case to
the International Court, and we are ready for it".
3. RESTRICTED DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRICTY - Due to failure of several electric
generators, the various neighbourhoods of the city of Ambon during the evenings are
supplied with electricity in turn, so that only every second evening there is electricity.
During day-time, too, electricity is often suddenly cut off. It goes without saying that
this is very much restricting various activities, not to mention the damage to electric
appliances caused by sudden interruptions, usually several times daily. Those who
can afford it, have a private generator now.
4. CONCERNED WOMEN'S ORGANISATION - On the "GPP = Gerakan Perempuan
Peduli" (Concerned Women's Organisation) we earlier reported rather elaborately (see
Report 136 from February 10, 2001). This account evoked sympathizing reactions
from several readers of these Reports, thus enabling this organisation to continue and
even upgrade their various activities. Local national television in the evening of October
20 showed a gathering of about a hundred children - both christian and muslim - who
had brought along with them their toy-guns, which they "officially surrendered". They
got other toys - such as "Monopoly" etc. - instead. This broadcasting was followed by
an interview with Sister Brigita Renyaan, one of the promotors of the GPP, in which
she described a number of other activities; in which she also confessed that
financially they solely depend on funds provided by donors both local and foreign. The
local government often assists by providing strategical locations and guaranteeing
security for the various activities in and outside the city of Ambon.
5. YAFFAR UMAR THALIB - Though officially having house arrest, nevertheless the
leader of the "Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jama'ah" Jihad forces, Jaffar Umar Thalib, has been
spotted again in Ambon since October 22 and was heard by a tablig akbar (official
speech) in the Al-Fatah Mosque on October 23, while - unheeding the conducive
situation in Ambon - proclaiming again provocations like denouncing the Governor of
the Moluccas and the local military and police security forces. However, local
muslims themselves, too, seem to feel bored with all of his allegations and prefer
going on with normal daily business to starting riots all over again. Yaffar charged the
local military and police forces of betraying the Republic of Indonesia by letting
themselves being bribed. No wonder this allegation has caused much animosity
among these security forces. The leader of the military/police fraction of the city's
House of Representatives, Lieutenant colonel C.Talapessy, in his turn accuses Jaffar
Umar Thalib of treason towards the Republic.
C.J.Böhm MSc,
Secretary of Crisis Centre Diocese of Amboina
Received via e-mail from : Crisis Centre Diocese of Amboina
|
