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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. 283
(2nd Report today)
2002-05-12 |
Ambon,
May 12, 2002 (2nd report today)
1.
LASKAR JIHAD
ARRESTED – Christians of the Diponegoro-Atas / Manggadua
neighbourhoods, together with military volunteers, were busy
“gotong-royong” (traditional voluntary work for common
benefit) this Sunday afternoon, cleaning up a plot of land on the
hillside, West of the Pohon Pule Bridge. They decided to cut down
some trees that hampered their view downwards. This was thought
important, because two Laskar Jihad posts are stationed not far
off. What happened then, we learned from one of our Crisis Centre
members who by chance was there and witnessed all of it. Some
muslims came to the spot, protesting against this felling of trees
of which – they claimed – they were the owners. The discussion
became rather hot-tempered, and the military gotong-royongers
started to run for their weapons, then fired in the air in order
to thwart off the protesters. However, these answered by throwing
a bomb, wounding one of the soldiers at his leg. His comrades then
went brengsek. Military
servicemen guarding the nearby governor’s mansion, learning
about the bloodshed of one of their own, came to aid. The Pohon
Pule bridge passage was sealed off, thus trapping at least seven
of the assailants. Within moments these were caught and badly
mishandled before being carried off on a military truck. Our
witness said that at least several of those arrested were jihads,
judging by their usual sparse beards and light skins. Though extra
military protection has been sent to the area, nevertheless many
residents have fled the area, fearing further escalation.
2.
FIVE-FOLD RESPONSIBILITY OF THE GOVERNOR – The
Central Government in Jakarta has instructed the Civil Emergency
Administrator for the Moluccas (i.e. Governor M.S. Latuconsina)
and his aides to restore law and order in the Moluccas according
to the following stages: (1) Disbanding the FKM / RMS; (2) Sending
the Laskar Jihad out of the Moluccas; (3) Carrying out sweeping on
illegal possession of weaponry; (4) Solving the disastrous
incidents of last April 3 (fatal bombing and burning of the
Governmental building, see
Report 254 sqq.); (5) The hoisting of the RMS flag last April
25 and ensuing tragic events (see
Report 267 sqq.).
3.
TEMPORARY LOCATION OF GOVERNOR’S OFFICE SERVICES
– Contrary to an earlier decision to house the Provincial
administrative services in the recently restored PLN (electricity
company) building at the Trikora crossroads, at the end of
Diponegoro Street (see
Report 260.4), this building, though representative, was
regarded as rather unsuitable after all. It has now been decided
upon to rent the Telecommunication (Telkom) building in the Tanah
Lapang Kecil (“Talake”) neighbourhood, situated between the
(Muslim) Waihaong and the (Christian) Batugantung/Kudamati areas
as alternative Office for at least two years. The building was
badly damaged in June 2000 (Report
1, June 22, 2000), but will now immediately be rehabilitated.
C.J.Böhm
msc, Crisis Centre Diocese of Amboina
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