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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. 365
2003-26-04
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Ambon, April 26, 2003
1.
ABUNDANCE OF RMS FLAGS Notwithstanding stern warnings by the
government, an unprecedented large number of RMS flags was hoisted
on the eve and during the night of April 25, the 53rd
commemoration of the founding of the RMS (Republik Maluku Selatan
/ Movement for South Moluccas Independence), both in the city of
Ambon and in various villages and nearby islands. The total number
may be close to two hundred. Several hundred people were arrested.
From the village of Aboru, island of Haruku, more than a hundred
people were detained and transferred to Ambon to be interrogated
on their connection with the FKM (Front Kedaulatan Maluku), which
promotes the RMS ideals.
2. PROFILE OF THE RMS FLAG The RMS flag consists of four
vertical stripes: blue white green red. The red stripe
is as wide as it is long (so not much of a stripe).
3. GENERAL SITUATION IN AMBON ON APRIL 25th The whole day long
the situation in Ambon was not much different from normal. Offices
and schools functioned as usual. There were no mass gatherings or
acts of violence reported. Acting Governor Harry Sinyo Sarundayang
himself surveyed the city from a helicopter during the day. During
a TV interview he was very quiet, perceiving that this whole
matter of RMS flag raising was not done as a show of force;
neither was there mentioning of any accompanying ceremony being
performed. He showed sincere concern on the background of this
flag raising, supposing that it was sort of trying to draw the
attention of government leaders to the fate of so many destitute
people in the Moluccas, who in vain call on the government (should
be mentioned that the central government mostly restricts its aid
to substantial financial help, which, however, has to travel a
score of persons and offices before what is left of it reaches its
destination
).
C.J.Bφhm msc,
Crisis Centre Diocese of Amboina
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