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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. 370
2003-12-06
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Ambon, June 12, 2003
1.
BRAVERY We read in Report no. 9 by the JRS
Maluku (Jesuit Refugee Service Moluccas) an inside report on the
improving sociability between christians and muslims in the city
of Ambon on grassroots level. A girl, wearing a scarf, laughs
nervously when answering my question Dont you feel afraid to
come here? With here is meant the Belakang Soya area, a
christian neighbourhood between christian Batumeja and muslim
Batumerah. The situation in Ambon is calm and under control.
Nevertheless, quite a lot of people are still scared to pass the
(mostly invisible) borders separating the christian and muslim
areas in de city. JRS is trying to help people to overcome their
fear passing those borders. They try to lead the way
by going into Muslim areas, playing with the kids, joking with the
youths, breathing their air and drinking their water, even
with a christian team from Belakang Soya taking part in a
soccer competion in the (muslim) Jalan Baru.
2.
THE BEAUTY OF TOGETHERNESS In its Report no. 10,
June 5th 2003, JRS Maluku reports on a reconciliatory
event that recently took place in A.J.Patty Street, Ambon. After
his visit last April 28, AA Gym recently came down from Jakarta
once again to hold an oration on The Beauty of Togetherness. AA
Gym (officially Kyai Hajj A.A. Gymnastiar) is widely known because
of his impressive monthly sermons in the Istiqal Mosque in
Jakarta, that are broadcasted on TV nationwide and eagerly
listened to by people from all faiths. Thus it was hardly
astonishing that not only muslims but also many christians
welcomed him and gathered to listen to his speech.
3.
REPORTS AVAILABLE The Crisis Centre has bundled
all its Reports on the Conflict from the start of the conflict
on January 19, 1999, up to March 31, 2003, in a moderately edited
book titled Brief Chronicle of the Unrest in the Moluccas
1999-2003, 300 pages.
Likewise
a more concise bundle of reports in Indonesian, covering the same
period, titled Lintas Peristiwa Kerusuhan di Maluku 1999-2003,
116 pages, is available.
Both
books can be ordered at one of the following addresses:
(1)
Procuur MSC, Missiehuis, Bredaseweg 204, 5038 NK TILBURG,
the Netherlands.
Fax
++31-(0)13-544 3402; email [email protected]
The
English edition costs 15,- (fifteen Euro), the Indonesian
edition is priced at 6.- (six Euro), in both cases mail
charges not included.
(2)
Crisis Centre Diocese of Amboina, Ambon (see above).
C.J.Bφhm msc,
Crisis Centre Diocese of Amboina
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