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Lawamena
Victoria
Reports
by
CRISIS
CENTRE DIOCESE OF AMBOINA
Jalan Pattimura 32 - Ambon 97124 ( Indonesia
Tel 0062 (0)911 342195 Fax 0062 (0)911 355337
e-mail [email protected]
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THE
SITUATION IN AMBON / MOLUCCAS - Report No. 311
2002-08-22
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Ambon,
August 22, 2002
1. COURT SESSION OF FKM
CASE – On August 19 the North Jakarta District Court opened
the case of the separatist FKM (Front Kedaulatan Maluku) Movement.
FKM leaders Alexander Hermanus Manuputty and Semmy Waeleruny were
charged with hoisting the RMS flag on April 25, 2002 and various
efforts to establish the independent state of the South Moluccas (RMS:
Republik Maluku Selatan). Theoretically spoken, the maximum
verdict can amount to the death sentence. Several hundreds of FKM
supporters crowded the front yard of the Court building.
2. THOUSANDS OF REFUGEES WANT TO RETURN – 41.962
Christian refugees (IDP-s) from the Moluccas and the North
Moluccas, now staying in North Celebes (Sulawesi), have asked the
government to return them to their homesteads. This request has
been spurred by the fact that all humanitarian aid to them by the
government and foreign NGO-s has stopped. Meanwhile some 34.000
Muslim refugees from the areas of Tobelo, Galela, Loloda and Ibu
(island of Halmahera, North Moluccas) are urging the government
(North Moluccas Prosecutor and Police) to start investigation on
supposed misapplication by government officials of funds that
should have been put to the use of refugees. Ambon daily newspaper
Siwalima quotes Antara news agency saying that the missing funds
amount to a staggering 78 billion rupiahs (Euro 9.000.000,-).
3. LAND MINES ON SAPARUA – The scourge of land mines
apparently is not restricted to the island of Ambon. Its eastern
neighbour, the island of Saparua, turns out to be infested with
these lethal devices as well. On August 20 Gilberth Wattimury (37)
from the village of Porto, together with his wife on his way to
his crops, stepped on a land mine. His left leg and buttocks were
shattered. His leg was amputated in Saparua hospital.
C.J.Böhm msc,
Crisis Centre Diocese of Amboina
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