|
|
|
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]
|
THE
SITUATION IN AMBON / MOLUCCAS - Report No. 272
(2nd Report today)
2002-04-29 |
1.
ATTACK ON SOYA: FURTHER
DETAILS AND ADJUSTMENTS – The TV Report that security
forces needed 2½ hours after the attackers had left, to arrive at
the site, was corrected by “Siwalima” newspaper: the attack on
Soya in the early morning of April 28, was launched at 3.45 a.m.
Police forces arrived at the site at 5.00 a.m., followed by
military forces at 6.00 a.m.
One
of the totally burned-down houses was the Raja’s house (local
“king”) with its unique traditional artifacts.
“Siwalima”
puts the number of injured Soya residents at 21.
One
of the villagers, Demi Hitijahubessy, when interviewed by “Siwalima”,
declared that the attackers undoubtedly were Laskar Jihad since he
heard them shouting and talking in Javanese dialect and accent. He
himself broke his leg in the general confusion, so that he could
not prevent his wife, his child and a grandchild being
slaughtered. Somebody else vented his angriness towards those who
had induced the people of Soya to surrender their weaponry in
accordance to the Moluccas Agreement of Malino.
2.
DISTURBANCE AROUND THE AMANS HOTEL – The large Amans
Hotel (Amans is short for “Ambon Manisé” = Sweet Ambon) lies
in the Christian area of Mardika, immediately bordering at the
Muslim area of Batumerah. Since quite some time it has been a busy
location for mostly Muslim vendors and Christian buyers.
“Siwalima” newspaper reports that on April 27 there arose a
conflict between local Muslims and Laskar Jihads, the latter
ordering to stop that intermingling with RMS people. At 9.00 a.m.
on Sunday April 28, while the nearby protestant “Bethel”
community was having worship, a bomb exploded near the Amans
hotel, setting fire to a resident’s house. Security forces
succeeded to get the ensuing confusion under control.
3.
FKM SUPPORTERS – Ichsan Malik, coordinator of the
interreligious “Baku Bae” platform,
estimates that the local FKM (Front Kedaulatan Maluku)
supporters number just about 250-300 people, probably even
dwindling now to a mere 100. He also said that not all of the
Muslims are of the opinion that all Christians support the RMS /
FKM.
4.
THAMRIN
ELLY: JAFAR WAS JOKING – Up to now no comments have been
expressed by local authorities on Jafar Umar Thalib’s presence
in Ambon and his provoking tabliq akbar last
Friday. The leader of the Muslim Malino delegation, Thamrin
Elly – according to “Siwalima” newspaper – said (prior to
the attack on Soya): “Jafar was just joking (bercanda). Do not
let yourself be provoked. He orders his followers to wage war. But
war is only possible if both sides agree to make war on each
other. In this case this condition is not fulfilled, since there
is only one party that wants war”. After the devastation of
Soya, christians might ask Thamrin what actually he meant by
“joking”.
C.J.Böhm
msc, Crisis Centre Diocese of Amboina
|
