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A DESCRIPTION OF THE MUSLIM LIFE IN MALUKU

(A FEAR EXPRESSION OF THE CHRISTIANS)

Massacres, devastation, burning, looting and eviction in Ambon has probably never been imagined by the Muslims in Maluku. Considering the targets of destruction and the victims of torture, it is confirmed that the riot was indeed caused by ethnic, religion, race and group problems, particularly religion (even though it was not the only cause). Even more, these shameful events were not only based on ethnic, religion, race and group problems, but they formed a picture of barbaric impertinence towards the Muslims. These events also became a lesson for the Muslims, that wherever Muslims are minority, they will be oppressed.

GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION

Maluku, which is also well known as the thousands of island area, is located in the east of Indonesia. It consists of 1027 large and small islands surrounded by 85% of vast ocean, between 3� North Latitude and 82� South Latitude, 124� East Longitude and 135� East Longitude. Geographically, this province’s borders are the Pacific Ocean in the North, Maluku Ocean or Sulawesi Island in the South and Irian Island in the East. Its total area is

851.000 km2. It is an archipelago which covers an ocean area of � 765.272 km² and terrestrial area of � 85.728km², hence the ratio between the ocean and the land is 9:1. It is divided into 4 regencies and 1 municipality with Ambon as the capital city.

CONFLICT POTENTIAL

Indeed, the Ambonese society has a massive conflict potential, despite the existence of the so-called PELA GANDONG culture. This conflict potential is reflected at the balanced Muslims – Christians composition and the fact that Musabagoh has been implemented in economic, politic and religion. This potential magnified when the reformation wave began to blow and political lead was at the hands of Habibie, who was said as having an intention to perform Islamization in every aspect, including in politics.

DESTRUCTION AND MASSACRE TARGETS

Facts proved that destruction and massacre targets were the Muslims. The Muslims were considered as immigrants and Islam was regarded as a foreign religion, not as a native religion. However, if we just would like to be honest with history, Islam was the religion which came first to Maluku, if compared to Catholicism and Protestantism which were brought in by the Portuguese and the Dutch. Furthermore, Islam has managed to lay down a foundation of Islamic culture in Maluku. Islam entered Maluku since the 7^th century, whereas Catholicism did so at around 16^th century and Protestantism did at the 17^th century.

The name of Maluku itself came from Arabic, namely Al-Mulk. The Arabic naming was because the ones who created the map of Maluku were the scholars in geography from the Arabian Peninsula. However, when the Dutch entered the land, the name was altered to Maluku. Before the European came, Islam spread rapidly. Islamic kingdoms stood up high, such as the Kingdoms of Ternate and Tidore.

During their occupation period, the Dutch spread Christianity and any Ambonese willing to accept the religion received a special treatment from the Dutch. Ever since, thousands of local people, who were Christians, were sent to schools by the Dutch and they were offered jobs at civil and military positions across the country. They were used as colonial armies in annexing the country’s area which had not been conquered at the time.

Because of this special position, ideologically, many Christians felt that they had a special relationship with the Dutch since they had the same religion and duties. While the Christian Ambonese joint in the colonial efforts, the Muslim Ambonese did not want to collaborate with the cruel oppressors. Apart from the unwillingness of the Dutch to recruit the Muslims, the Muslims themselves would not accept the offer anyway. Therefore, it is not surprising that until around 1920, Islamic villages were not equipped with secular education facilities. It is also unsurprising that based on the 1950 census, 90 % of the Muslims were illiterate. The Christians, with the education support from the Dutch, dominated Ambonese society in such a way that many people thought that Ambon was a Christian only area. On 24 April 1950, Dr. Soumokil proclaimed the establishment of South Maluku Republic, which conducted its political mission in violent ways and whose civil and military leaders were all Christians.

The Republic of Indonesia freedom era in 1945 blew some fresh air and new breath for the Muslim Ummah to start developing. The number of Muslims started to grow from 35% to 49% at the beginning of the so-called new sociopolitical order in Indonesia (started in 1965). This development was considered a threat by the Christians there. Therefore, it was hardly surprising that when the riots took place, the South Maluku Republic flag was raised at several places. The Muslims economic and education condition improved slowly. At the beginning of the new sociopolitical order, several Muslim scholars began to get strategic positions, from the level of the Province of Maluku to subdistrict, equally and not domineeringly. The rapid development of Islam in politics, education and economic was considered a threat, and when reformation era was more directed to strengthening the Muslims influence, riots and ethnic cleansing were inevitable.

THERE IS NO OTHER WAY BUT JIHAD

The Ambonese Muslims have been tortured in such a way and many have been massacred. When the facts are inspected, it is clear that there is no other way for the Muslim Ummah, other than doing Jihad. This has been performed by the Muslims in Ambon, since it is the only way to save themselves from a more fatal destruction. Therefore, internally, jihad must indeed be performed, and externally, the Muslim Ummah must make every effort to help easing the Ambonese Muslims pains. Apart from moral support, food and medication are badly needed as well. Since areas around Ambon are already surrounded by the Red Troops, helps and supports cannot reach the hands of the Muslims easily. Therefore, it was envisaged that food and medication shortage would occur.

The call for Jihad is the most noble call in Islam, thus it is a wish of many Muslim youths from various places to get sent to Ambon for Jihad. However, the Ambonese Muslims themselves actually have not yet required these kinds of support. They are in more needs for supports in other forms, such as food and medication.

So far, helps received by the Muslims were relatively scarce when compared to those for the Christians, who are continuously looking for helps. Muslim scholars and Ummah do not actively try to look for a reliable information source, therefore they tend to become victims to misleading and incomplete information. The Ambonese Muslim Ummah urgently expect a more active participation from Muslim Mass Organizations and Political Parties. At least, these institutions can help to defend the Ambonese muslims or make appeals to the government and security forces to solve the problems seriously, for the condition is very alarming.

LATEST REPORT FROM AMBON

Kidnaps and tortures have became familiar things in this thousand of islands city. On Friday, 5 November 1999, peace was once more interrupted by an explosion sound in Passo Island, Ambon Banguala Bay. The incident in Passo was not a fight between community members, but an attack from the Red Mass to a car and a yellow truck with police registration number DE 80003. The unfortunate car took three officers from the Indonesian Army ZENI KODAM (ZIDAM) XVI Pattimura. Two Indonesian Army officers, namely Serda Yulianto and Kopda Marsuki, were killed and then burnt with the car.

On 8 November 1999, the Red Mass from Karang Panjang attacked Batu Merah from a high position with continuous assembled bomb attack, directed towards the Batu Merah Indonesian Army hall beside the Batu Merah Dalam Mosque. During the attack, the Karang Panjang community members managed to burn a Muslim’s house, located in the boundary area. In this event, two Muslims died, three were badly injured and thirteen were lightly injured.

Fights continued until 9 November 1999, a Muslim family from Air Kuning was tortured by several Christian youths who were trying to attack Air Kuning, a Muslim area near STAIN, Ambon.

On 12 November 1999, a Christian group from Rumah Tiga planned to attack Kota Jawa, Baguala Subdistrict, and burnt down an empty house belonging to the Muslim. At the same time, a fight occurred in the city center, when the Red Mass saw some Muslims inside Danamon Bank. The Muslim youths were attacked by the Red Mass, but they were saved by the security force. At the same time as well, People Representatives, who were working in the Province of Maluku Legislative Assemby, were attacked by the Red Mass, and the Muslim members of the assembly were safely rescued by the Indonesian Army.

Until today, massacres are still happening, and the city of Ambon is gripped with fear. On Friday, 5 November 1999, roughly 500 students from the Indonesian Christian University of Maluku run a rally to the Province of Maluku Legislative Assemby. They demanded several demands :

The YONIF KOSTRAD and ARMED units must be withdrawn from Ambon.

The Buton, Bugis, Makassar and other immigrant ethnic groups must be evicted from Ambon.

The Province Governor of Maluku, Muhammad Saleh Latuconsine must be suspended from his position.

If the first, second and third demands are ignored, they will proclaim themselves as the Free Maluku.

These are the absurd demands from those rascals. In the violent demonstration, they threw 5 bombs in a distance of 10 m from the governor, but Alhamdulillah (All Praise Belong to Allah) the governor was safe, but the bomb explosion injured one of the Indonesian Army officer, and he is now still under treatment in the Police Hospital of Ambon.