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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. 366
2003-29-04
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Ambon, April 29, 2003
1.
VISIT BY MINISTER OF SOCIAL AFFAIRS – On April 28-29 Cabinet
Minister of Social Affairs Yusuf Kalla paid a visit to Ambon.
Among other activities he met the Malino-II delegates to evaluate
the results of the by himself initiated reconciliatory meeting in
Malino, South Celebes, in February 2002, then resulting in the
eleven-point “Moluccas Agreement” on February 12, 2002. He
said the conflict was over now indeed. The big problems are now
the return of the refugees and the economic recovery of the
Moluccas. He said he did not see any obstruction any more to the
return of all refugees to their original towns and villages. He
insisted that economic recovery of the Moluccas should be carried
out mainly by the Molucc! ans themselves. In this context, on
April 29, he officially inaugurated the reopening of the Tonasa
Cement Packing Plant at Gudang Arang Ambon, which – due to the
conflict – was closed down in March 2000, but started
functioning again last February.
Asked about his opinion on the separatist RMS movement, he said
that the RMS had already been outlawed by late president Soekarno
in 1950, and that he was convinced that the large majority of both
Muslims and Christians in the Moluccas is opposed to the RMS and
to Alex Manuputty’s FKM.
2. A.A. GYM VISITS AMBON – On April 28 Kyai Hajj A.A.
Gymnastiar was in Ambon. AA-Gym – as he is commonly called –
is famous for his monthly sermons in the Istiqal Mosque in
Jakarta, that are broadcast on TV nationwide and eagerly listened
to by people from all faiths. In Ambon he delivered a speech in
the packed aula of the Masariku-733 military barracks, stressing
the need for unity in diversity.
3. MORE THAN 250 DETAINED SUSPECTED OF RMS ACTIVITIES –
Security forces arrested more than 250 people – among whom about
150 from the village of Aboru (island of Haruku) alone – in
connection with flag raising activities on and around April 25,
the 53rd commemoration of the RMS South Moluccas Independence
movement. There is hardly room for so many detainees. It is now
being investigated who among them are authentic separatists –
and thus face charges of subversion – and who are those that
just wanted to vent their disappointment with the government.
C.J.Böhm msc,
Crisis Centre Diocese of Amboina
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