CRISIS CENTRE DIOCESE OF AMBOINA
Jalan Pattimura 32 – Ambon 97124 – Indonesia
Tel 0062 (0)911 342195 Fax 0062 (0)911 355337
E-mail: crisiscentre01@hotmail.com
Ambon, March 2, 2002
THE SITUATION IN AMBON / MOLUCCAS – Report No. 245
1. TROUBLE AGAIN – Today there was a mass socialisation of the combined
christian and muslim Ambon residents that originally come from the South-East
Moluccas and East-Ceram. It started at about 11.00 a.m. and was held in the front
yard of the Governor’s Office Building. About three thousand were present, and all
went according to wish. The participants then started to walk singing and waving with
branches through the city of Ambon. Arriving at the site of the large Al-Fatah Mosque,
however, suddenly one or more muslim secondary-schoolboys – probably instigated
by persons that want the conflict to go on – started to throw stones at motorcyclists
that were part of the rally. There ensued a chaotic situation in which warning shots
were fired by the sec! urity forces. Some motorbikes were set to fire. People fled
panicking in all directions. Several people were hurt in the commotion, hit by stones
or even stabbed. The uproar quickly spread to other parts of the city. In the muslim
dominated “Ambon Plaza” shopping mall, about sixty christian shoppers, most of
them women, consequently were cornered by muslims. Due to lack of proper
communication between the police and the military it was only after some 3½ hours
that they were freed.
2. UNINTENTIONAL DEATH – The rally of Muslim and Christian speedboats circling
the bay of Ambon we reported about on February 28, accidentally caused the death of
one of the participants, named Herman Luhukay from Hative Kecil. Probably caused
by drunkenness, he fell into the water without being noticed by his comrades. His
body was found near the shore of Galala, stuck to the anchor of a speedboat.
3. SURRENDERING WEAPONRY – Several christian communities, notably in the
neighbourhoods of Airsalobar, Gunung Nona and Kudamati were the first to officially
surrender their firearms and sharp weapons.
4. REFUSING TO LIVE ON EQUAL TERMS WITH CHRISTIANS – Yesterday a
Muslim Women’s organization, called the FSPB (“Forum Silatuhrahmi Perempuan
Baguala”), went up to the Governor to utter their dissatisfaction with the Moluccas
Agreement of Malino. In their five-points statement they contended among other
things that they refused to intermingle with Christians and demanded that the
livingquarters of both communities remain strictly separated. They also said they
refused any combined rally to pass through their area. If this demand would not be
complied to, they would not take any responsibility – they said – for any trouble that
might come forth from it. The governor simply answered that the time for any thre!
atments was over, and that they would do well to have themselves be instructed on
the Moluccas Agreement properly.
C.J.Böhm msc,
Crisis Centre Diocese of Amboina
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