The Jakarta Post, March 1, 2002
Muslims, Christians rally joyfully in Ambon
Muhammad Nafik and A'an Suryana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Thousands of Muslims and Christians mingled freely in a parade across the Maluku
capital of Ambon on Thursday to express their happiness with and support for the
recent peace accord, local leaders and residents said.
It was the first time in the history of the three-year religious war in the country's
eastern province that such a celebration had taken place.
The parade followed a mass rally by thousands of Muslims on Wednesday to promote
the peace deal.
The Muslim rally was held at the Al-Fatah Grand Mosque and then followed by the
parade across town, where Christians joined in.
Fery Watimuri, a local Christian youth leader, described a scene in which thousands
more Muslims and Christians joined the motorcade along its route on Thursday,
hugging and crying.
They included becak (pedicab) and ojek (motorcycle taxi) drivers, school children,
and civil servants, who then joyfully marched through town along with their former
rivals, he said.
They were seen hugging and shaking hands and talking with each other. At least 100
speedboats, piloted by both Muslims and Christians, joined in to mark the festivities
in Ambon Bay.
Fery added that the segregation that had divided the Muslim-and Christian-controlled
areas over the last three years were lifted as the convoys passed freely through town.
"The city is very busy now -- Muslims and Christians are together in convoys... it's
like a bird being released from cage," he told The Jakarta Post, describing the march
through Ambon.
"It's difficult to describe our happiness. We're very delighted at the moment. We've
been longing for something like this to happen for years," added Fery, who is also a
lecturer at the state-owned Makassar University.
Another resident, Andre J. Sitanala, also expressed delight over the peace pact
celebration. "I am so delighted. It's extraordinary that Muslims and Christians can
again mix and talk with each other," he told the Post.
He added that this was clear proof that most people in Maluku wanted peace for long
time, "but they have only gained it now."
"Certain parties have stage-managed a drama in Maluku by fostering feuding here for
three years," Andre said.
Fery, who was one of the signatories of the latest peace accord, said that around "90
percent of the Maluku people wanted peace long before the Malino agreement was
signed, but they always failed to realize it because of the minority."
Rival Christian and Muslim leaders signed the historic pact on Feb. 12 during two-day
peace talks in the South Sulawesi mountain resort of Malino in Gowa regency.
The fighting started in Ambon on Jan. 19, 1999 with a minor neighborhood quarrel
which quickly spread to other islands in the Malukus, leaving some 6,000 people
dead, and forcing 500,000 others to flee.
However, the pro-peace rally failed to win everyone's hearts and minds when at least
two bombs reportedly exploded on Wednesday. There were no injuries.
Nevertheless, Maluku people did not back down. More peace rallies are expected on
Saturday in the city.
A prominent sociologist in the area, Thamrin Amal Tomagola, hailed the peaceful
celebrations by former warring factions on Thursday.
"Such a peaceful moment has been long-awaited by all Maluku people... thank God it
has finally occurred," he told the Post in Jakarta.
Thamrin, however, urged members of both Muslim and Christian grassroots
organizations to remain on alert against efforts to destabilize the new peace in
Maluku.
The conflict, he said, did not stem from grassroots movements but was triggered by
other groups -- including military and police factions, along with leaders of local
political parties for their own self-interests.
"To maintain peace in the future, people in Maluku should not allow themselves to be
provoked by others who want to promote their own interests," he added.
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