Indonesia - OCHA Consolidated Situation Report No. 49
02 - 09 November 2001
MALUKU
General Situation
Details of the attack on the Christian village of Waimulang in South West Buru last
Thursday (1 Nov.) still remained sketchy. Unconfirmed reports now available
suggested that as many as 400 Muslims with allegedly some TNI soldiers and armed
with automatic weapons made the well-planned pre-dawn attack by land and sea,
forcing the inhabitants to flee into the hills. Two people were killed and four were
seriously injured. The village had a population of 922 people with another 1,000 IDPs.
They are now reported to have grouped in an area 6 kilometres north of Waimulang.
The Government despatched 10 tons of rice and other non-food items last Saturday (3
Nov.) to the people and Mercy Corps also sent 500 blankets, 220 tarpaulins, 50
pots/pans, buckets and ropes. Aid agencies in Ambon on Thursday decided to
provide more assistance and will work with local authorities on delivering them. TNI is
now reported to be in control of Waimulang. The incident has sparked fears of further
attacks in other parts of Buru and elsewhere in Maluku. There is some heightened
tension in both communities.
A Muslim was killed by sniper fire as he disembarked from a speedboat in Siri Sori on
Monday (5 Nov.) on Saparua Island. On the same day in Ambon, a Christian family
travelling in a car in the Muslim area of Batu Merah was shot at, resulting in one
woman being injured. The attack was apparently in retaliation for the incident in Siri
Sori.
Assessments
MSF-B sent an assessment team to the east and west of Seram for their Outreach
Programme. The team will visit villages between Geser and Bula sub-districts in East
Seram, and Piru sub-districts in West Seram. The programme will initially provide
access to primary health care through the mobile clinics, train medics and
paramedics, and provide essential drugs in areas where no drugs are available.
A water and sanitation team from AcF will go to Piru and Waeselan in West Seram to
assess prospects of rehabilitating wells, latrines, and spring catchments in the areas
which are essential to the IDPs now living with host communities in these locations.
Food security and Agriculture
AcF distributed seeds and tools kits to 610 households in Wahaii in north Seram.
Eighty-one families who were considered vulnerable will also receive additional
non-food item kits such as blankets, cooking pots, cups and plates. Another team will
proceed to North Buru, to distribute seeds and tools packages to 1,222 households,
and fishing gears to 17 families in Waipo.
AcF completed the last round of general food distribution in Ambon island last week,
and will now begin to provide for vulnerable groups through "Empowerment Programs".
The programme will distribute "income generating kits" that will help families earn
quick income. A total of 500 vulnerable families from Christian and Muslim
communities were targeted, and the distribution began last Friday.
Health
MSF-B's reorganized mobile clinic teams started operating this week. MSF-B reduced
the number of mobile clinic sites from 60 to 43, and the number of medical team
members has been reduced to four. The new mobile clinics will provide health
education and hygiene in addition to medical treatment to patients.
MSF-B will also start a 2 month training course in four hospitals in Ambon, namely, Al
Fatah Hospital, Halloussey General Hospital, GPM Hospital, and Bakti Rahayu, on
surgical emergency.
IMC sent a doctor to Leksula in South Buru sub-district to work there for three
months. One other doctor is now in Wamsisi.
Water & Sanitation
MSF-B managed to ensure the continuation of water supply to four IDP camps in
Karpan Ambon city by facilitating talks between the IDPs and the water company.
The IDPs agreed to pay water bills themselves from November 2001 onwards.
MSF-B agreed with the Naval Base Commander at Halong to build 10 latrines at an
old swimming pool site. About 6,500 IDPs are in this location, and adequate
functioning latrines were necessary.
Mercy Corps funded two water and sanitation projects. One is in Tual, South East
Maluku, which will provide new pumps for a World Bank funded water project. The
other is a gravity water fed system in Kaibobo West Seram.
Shelter and Non-food Items
Mercy Corps sent 500 blankets, 220 plastic sheetings, 50 pots and pans, and 100
buckets for the victims in Waimulang. These goods were sent through an NGO
partner in Leksula.
Mercy Corps also distributed non-food items to 575 returnees and IDP families in 18
villages in Kei Besar Island in Southeast Nusa Tenggara district.
Other
International and national staff of the UNRC returned to Ambon this week.
NORTH MALUKU
General Situation
The Supreme Court endorsed the controversial election of Abdul Gafur as the governor
of North Maluku on Tuesday (6 Nov.). The provincial parliament earlier annulled his
victory owing to allegations of money politics.
Population movements
North Maluku officials went to Bitung, North Sulawesi on 5 - 8 November to encourage
the IDPs there to return.
The Ternate office of the ministry of social welfare put 163 street children, who were
displaced from Halmahera Island, in an orphanage.
Assessments
A USAID/OTI mission is visiting several sub-districts in the province from 5-11
November to monitor the distribution of building materials for IDPs and returnees in the
area and assess other reconstruction and rehabilitation needs of the community.
A new NGO, CARDI (Consortium for Assistance to Refugees and the Displaced in
Indonesia) is establishing an office in Ternate and making assessments for initiating
small projects for income generation and development of infrastructure.
UNICEF Emergency Section is visiting the province from 4-11 November 2001 to hold
discussions with officials in Ternate, Malifut, Kao, Tobelo and Galela. They will also
visit some returnee villages in the area to update a project framework for using
child-oriented development in education between Muslims and Christians.
Health
MDM routine health, rehabilitation and reconstruction activities continue in Jailolo,
Sahu and Ibu sub-districts. In Sahu sub-district, 17 out of 244 checked had Malaria
infection.
IMC routine health activity continues in the community health centre (Puskesmas) of
Tobelo, Galela, Kao, Daruba & Posi-Posi Rao of South Morotai and Bere-Bere of
North Morotai sub-districts. Meetings were held on 5-9 November 2001 with heads of
villages and primary health centre (Pustu) staff in Tobelo to collect data on children
under five in preparation of an immunization programme.
WVI is conducting training of cadres and making preparations for distribution of
hygiene kits to the target communities in 34 IDP campsites in Ternate City.
This week WHO has been implementing its Health as a Bridge for Peace workshop
which looks at how the health workers and the health system have been affected by
the conflict and what possible roles health can have in supporting peace building. The
workshop gives health workers skills and knowledge on human rights, international
humanitarian law, conflict analysis, and resolution and medical ethics. Participants
include Puskesmas staff from around the province, representatives from the nursing
school, and community leaders.
Water and Sanitation
MDM continues the construction and rehabilitation of combined latrine bathroom
facilities (MCKs), Puskesmas, wells and water pipe installation in three sub-districts
namely Jailolo, Sahu and Ibu.
Housing reconstruction & rehabilitation
WVI distributed roofing kits for 196 families in villages of Galela, Tobelo, Kao and
Malifut during the week.
Peace building
An OTI sponsored training workshop for North Maluku women is being held in Ternate
city. The theme of the workshop is "Optimalising the role of women in order to create
safeness after conflict".
OTHER
Following a Jakarta Post report on Tuesday (6 Nov.) that 3,000 Maluku IDPs in
Kupang were facing starvation, CWS sent a report from Kupang that as of September
this year, there were only 557 people registered as IDPs from Ambon living in and
around Kupang. They were either renting their own places or living with their families,
except 30 households who lived in camps equipped with running tap water and
electricity.
This report and all previous ones can be found on OCHA's website at
www.reliefweb.int
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
UN Building 4th Floor
Jl. MH. Thamrin 14
P.O. Box 2238, Indonesia
FAX: (62-21) 319-0003
PHONE: ( 62-21) 314-1308, Ext. 215, 151, 125
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