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Ambon: Social Tensions, Not Religious
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MISNA
- Missionary Service News Agency
March
21, 2003
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Indonesia
Ambon: Social Tensions, Not Religious
General, Standard
In the early hours of March 19 a conflict between some Passo young people and
several in Passo staying youths from the destroyed village of Waai resulted in the
death of Jhon Limbong (24), a Passo resident, who was killed by a throng of Waai
youngsters. The conflict had already started in the afternoon of March 18, when Kiler
Parera (25) from Passo, was seriously injured at his head by a mob of drunken young
people from Waai. Security forces managed to put a halt to the bloody feud.
For more than two years already several thousands of refugees from Waai have been
sheltered in three huge clove storage buildings in Passo. As since this incident their
safety is in jeopardy, Acting Governor Sinyo Sarundayang has decided that their
return to Waai should be sped up. After taking the necessary security precautions,
rebuilding of the totally destroyed village of Waai will start within a few days he
said.
Waai lies on the Eastern coast of the island of Ambon, some 15 km North-East of
Passo, between the Muslim villages of Tulehu to the South and Liang to the North.
Friendly relationship with Tulehu has already been restored, but it seems that Liang is
still opposed to the Christians return to Waai.
Tensions are also registered in the Muslim community. On South Seram, in the
Kairatu area, a conflict between the Muslim villages of Hualong and Latu on March 20,
resulted in four persons being injured. Furthermore, the Crisis Centre Diocese of
Amboina specifies that the recent attack on Iraq on behalf of the US and British
military forces up to now has not had any significant impact on the situation in the
Moluccas. [BP]
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