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MOLUCCAS:
ALERTNESS TOWARDS COMMEMORATION OF DECLARATION OF
INDEPENDENCY
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MISNA
- Missionary Service News Agency
April
15, 2003
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Indonesia
ALERTNESS TOWARDS COMMEMORATION OF DECLARATION
OF INDEPENDENCY
Politics/Economy, Standard
A state of alert has been proclaimed in Ambon (administrative
capital of the Moluccas archipelagos, Indonesia) in view of 25
April, when the 53 commemoration of the declaration of
independency of the South Moluccas (RMS – Republik Maluku
Selatan)will be celebrated). The Christians with the support of
the government of the ex Dutch colony 53 years ago, founded this
political organism and fought for its independence from the rest
of Indonesia, after being defeated. Despite this, the Moluccans
entered to form part of the Indonesian Republic, but up until
today a Christian separatist movement has existed, the FKM (Front
Kedaulatan Maluku - Self-government Front of the Moluccas). Every
year, in coincidence with the anniversary of the Southern Moluccas
Republic, the activists of the FKM – not recognized by the local
Church – try to brandish the flags of the RMS, a gesture which
is punished with severity by the local authorities. Fearing that
similar episodes can reoccur this year, military and police forces
from Ambon have already been put on alert. In particular, report
local press, the attention is concentrated on the small Island of
Haruku, east of Ambon, considered to be a real and true alcove of
the separatists. In the past few days policemen and military
soldiers were deployed to the area to carry out the necessary
controls. Meanwhile the Bishop of Ambon. Monsignor Petrus Canisius
Mandagi, launched an appeal “to the entire population, including
the religious leaders and laymen as well as the mass media, to
collaborate with the local security forces to avoid the hoisting
of the RMS flag”. Recalling of never ever having supported the
RMS, Bishop Mandagi specified that the Christians and their
leaders are relentlessly accused of kindling and propagating RMS
aspirations. “In case there might be any RMS flag hoisting on or
around next April 25th and it can be proved th at it is done by a
Christian, then it is on this person’s own responsibility, and
in no way he may be considered to represent any of his fellow
Christians”, said Bishop Mandagi. Nevertheless, the Christians
and their leaders are relentlessly accused of kindling and
propagating RMS aspirations. In case there might be any RMS flag
hoisting on or around next April 25th and it can be proved th at
it is done by a Christian, then it is on this person’s own
responsibility, and in no way he may be considered to represent
any of his fellow Christians. This archipelago has been theatre to
a conflict between Christians and Muslims that started in 1999 and
officially ended in Spring of 2002. The Muslims accused the FKM of
fomenting the hostilities and the Christians accused the
guerrillas of the movement ‘Laskar Jihad’, which arrived in
the the archipelagos in the year 2000 and departed in October last
year. In the past few months the leaders of FKM, Alex Manuputty
and Semmy Waeleruny, were arrested and then transferred to the
Indonesian capital Jakarta, where they shall serve a three-year
jail sentence for subversion. Instead the leader of Laskar Jihad,
Ja’afar Umar Thalib, was first incriminated and then absolved by
every accusation last 30 January.
[BP]
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