CRISIS CENTRE KEUSKUPAN AMBOINA
Jalan Pattimura 32 - AMBON 97124
Tel 0062 (0)911 342195 / 314937 Fax 0062 (0)911 355337 E-mail: compro@ambon.wasantara.net.id

Specification on the recent violence in Poka-Rumahtiga. Summary of report in the (christian-operated) newspaper of July 6, 2000:

1. During the last few days Ambon experienced unprecedented violence in the large christian villages of Poka/Rumahtiga/Wailela on the opposite shore of the Bay of Ambon. Material damage: several thousands of houses of christians, nine churches and the major part of the University Pattimura burned and destroyed. The "Universitas Pattimura" is the principal university of the Moluccas. The main attack was carried out on July 4^th by several thousands of muslims, assisted by part of the military, starting at noon. Thousands of christians fled to the nearby coast, meanwhile being chased by muslims, who still still were shooting at them while those fleeing were swimming to the nearest anchored fishingboats and other vessels. From Galala, on the opposite shore, where the bay is narrowing, christians sent speedboats, but mainly could only watch and weep because of what they witnessed happening in the distance. No vessels were provided by the navy. About 3000 thousand christians, who could not find any transport across the bay, fled to the military Zipur-5 quarters at Rumahtiga, but their safety cannot be guaranteed there either, so they are waiting anxiously for transport to Gudang Arang / Benteng (Ambon-town) or elsewhere on the opposite shore. The military could only prevent the electricity power generators at Poka from being burned down.

The Governor, responsible for the Civil Emergency, tried to go to Poka in order to see for himself what damage had been done, however apparently his safety could not be guaranteed. No number of casualties available up to now.

2.       Mgr. P.C.Mandagi MSC, Bishop of Amboina, arrived at Ambon several days ago. After having various consultations, it was decided that he together with the Chairman of the Protestant Church of the Moluccas and the Chairman of the Protestant Evangelical Church of the North Moluccas, will immediately leave for Geneva to discuss the situation in the Moluccas with the Human Rights Commission of the UN. To this purpose a formal request, in the name of all christians of the Moluccas and North Moluccas, was addressed to the three of them by the Auxiliary Bishop of Amboina, Msgr J.Tethool, and the Secretary General of the Protestant Church of the Moluccas, Ds. Max M.Siahaya STh.

3.       Yesterday, July 5^th, there was no violence reported, except, in the afternoon, the burning of a catholic church at the outskirts of the christian village of Waai, near the islam village of Tulehu. Since this morning the village of Waai is being attacked from both sides: from Tulehu and from Liang (islam). The villagers have asked the Protestant Maranatha Crisis Centre for vessels to evacuate them. Their urgent request for help to the navy & army was of no avail.

4.       Ten thousands of christians from Ambon-town to Passo are desperately waiting to be evacuated from the island.

5.       One of our office assistants arrived from the refugee camp at Halong, reporting that at that camp at the naval base of Halong. where are now more than 10.000 christian refugees (and some muslim refugees, separated), they have fear of the hundreds of military who are now being concentrated there.

The refugees are allotted a kilo of rice a week, leaving them hungry and weak.

6.       We fear that a large-scale attack on Ambon-town is imminent. The escape route to Soya is just a narrow road: probably panicking people will trample each other to death. However, up to now people just keep on the ready with their few belongings packed.

GEREJA KATOLIK KEUSKUPAN AMBOINA and
GEREJA PROTESTAN MALUKU
tel 0911 342195 / 352276 fax 0911 355337 e-mail: compro@ambon.wasantara.net.id

Subject : Request for evacuation and maintaining of Human Rights

The conflict situation in the Moluccas and North Moluccas, which started on January 19^th, 1999, up to now has not been able to be subdued, on the contrary, has up to now caused the violent death of thousands of people, both islam and christian, not to speak of the huge material damage that has been done. Consequently many thousands of people are now living in refugee camps and locations.

Faced with this steadily worsening situation in these two Provinces, the Indonesian Government declared the civil emergency state for the Moluccas and the North Moluccas starting on June 28, 2000.

However, looking back on this first week of Civil Emergency, we cannot see any improvement of the situation. On the contrary the situation is worsening from day to day. On account of this present condition, it will in the near future undoubtedly result in total destruction of the town of Ambon.

Therefore, the thousands of christians who are now under severe pressure, urgently call on their Church Leaders to help them evacuating to safe locations elsewhere.

Since human rights here are more and more neglected and considering the safety of the lives of so many civilians, we have urged the Bishop of the Diocese of Amboina, the Chairman of the Protestant Church of the Moluccas and the Chairman of the Protestant Evangelical Church of the North Moluccas, to ask for immediate help from the Security Council and the Human Rights Commission of the United Nations. Details on the actual situation in both Provinces will be provided by these our three Envoys.

Thus our urgent request. For your kindly responding we are most grateful.
 

1. Report on the muslim attack on the christian village of WAAI, July 6. Waai lies in the N.E. part of the island of Ambon.


Thursday, July 6^th, early in the morning, the muslims attacked the village from three sides: from the large islam village of Tulehu (to the south), from the islam village of Liang (to the north) and from the seaside (to the east). The number of attackers was estimated at several thousands of warriors. They started chasing the villagers and burning the place right away, using standard weaponry, granades and mortars. Most of the villagers ran for safety to the woods to the west of the village. Some managed to board two speed boats.

Preceding this attack, Waai -- feeling endangered -- had already asked the military chief commander, I Made Yasa, for protection. The governor himself, too, addressed the same request to him, and others as well. Nevertheless no heed was paid to these urgent appeals. Because of road barricades and shortage of boats, it is very difficult to send troops to Waai on short notice, so they should be there timely. But what happened was just the opposite: troops that were stationed there, were withdrawn. The governor protested, but in vain.

At the very start of the attack, the villagers called in the help of the military at Suli (to the south), but they said that they had not been ordered to go to Waai, so they could not help. At the same time at the military headquarters in Ambon-town there was a ceremony taking place: thanksgiving for the promotion of Mr. I Made Yasa from Colonel becoming Brigadir General. He acknowledged on TV last night, that he had not been able to send military to the threatened location in time. We cannot but conclude that Mr. I Made Yasa on purpose creates the opportunity of christian communities being destroyed by muslim masses, such as (recently) Poka-Rumahtige/Wailela and now Waai. Number of casualties in Waai is still unknown.

2. We learn about the sending in of several battalions of military to the Moluccas. However, it is not the number of military that will save the trapped christians but their quality and appropriate strategy of positioning them on the right places and their determination to defend the defenseless. The christians definitely are in extreme want of any aid from any one who cares and is willing to save our lives.
3. At least some 100.000 christians need immediate evacuation, because they are in grave danger to be killed mercilessly by the muslim/jihad troops. Besides, more and more refugees are starving due to increasing lack of rice and other food.
4. Actual endangered sites are now: the large christian village of Passo (at the end of the bay), the road to Soya (attack expected from Ahuru, thus cutting off the only escape route from Batumeja in Ambon-town) and Mardika/Batumeja (attack from Batumerah).
5. Personal opinion of Father C.J.Böhm, secretary of the Crisis Centre: how is it possible that the Pattimura University and so many other public facilities are being destroyed? If Ambon is to be made 100% islam, they will need those facilities. So couldn’t all this destroying be a revenge by the Javanese Jihads and military on what 55 years ago, during the revolution against the Dutch, the Ambonese Dutch-allied KNIL military did to the Javanese? There may have been slumbering a grudge against the Moluccas during all these years…

1. Yesterday was quiet, because probably the muslim fighters needed rest and strategical relocation. The whole day long nervousness and anxiety in the christian quarters was notable. At Batumeja -- where lately, like in other parts of the town of Ambon, supply of electricity was reduced to one or two hours daily -- we enjoyed (and enjoy up to now) uninterrupted electricity supply. So apparently the power station at Poka is functioning normally again, besides, there is no need any more to administer electric power to the wiped-out large villages of Wailela, Rumahtiga and Poka.
2. The Governor, as responsible of the civil emergency, ordered all docking ships to be inspected on questionable persons and equipment. Orders like these have been issued earlier on various occasions. However, without competent enforcing security forces, such orders are ineffective.
3. A Pattimura University spokesman assured the 6.800 students who still are enlisted as students (many having withdrawn due to earlier riots) that anyhow the university will continue its program, will even admit new first-year students. Nobody however has gone to the site of the burned-down Campus to draw up an estimation of the damage. The spokesman said that, "judging by the amount of smoke which was to be seen from afar", at least 60% of the buildings had been destroyed.
4. According to the (christian-run) local daily newspaper "Siwalima" from July 8, the chief military commander, I Made Yassa, acknowledges that about "only" 5% of the military is "contaminated" as collaborator of the muslim fighters (which means he concedes at least 350 military to be on the side of the muslim attackers!).
5. Today’s "Siwalima" reports that the Jihad chief commander, Jafar Umat Thalib, refuses any interview with Siwalima reporters, "because he has antipathy towards this newspaper".
6. Today’s "Siwalima" further reports on the tragedy of the destroying of the village of Waai the day before yesterday. Of the hundreds of houses, only five have been spared. Public facilities like schools, churches, police quarters etc., too, have been burned down. The death-toll among the villagers is at least 17, among whom 6 women (list of names is included), 10 wounded (list of names included); 6 are missing. Witnesses of the attack confirm that part of the military forces ostensibly chose the side of the muslim troops. The attack was carried out using modern standard weaponry. Two units (companies) of military, sent in by I Made Yasa, got no further than the nearby muslim village of Tulehu. The (christian operated) daily newspaper "Suara Maluku" reports also the number of Islam casualties at Waai, being 5 fighters killed, whereas 41 are reported to be injured.
7. The death-toll among the security forces during the attacks on Poka/Rumahtiga and Waai is limited to just one military being killed. Death-toll of civilians and muslim/jihads in Poka/Rumahtiga/Wailela is unknown.


The number of refugees from Poka/Rumahtiga/Wailela is about 30.000. They are being sheltered at this side of the bay in the villages of Passo, Lateri, Latta, Halong and in Ambon-town.

8. The military chief commander, I Made Yassa, acknowledges to reporters of the "Suara Maluku" newspaper, that the muslim/jihad troops outdo the security forces in numbers and equipment/weaponry.
9. A catholic policeman, coordinator of the christian refugees from Tantui up to Passo, just came and reported that meanwhile the total number of refugees in that area has increased to about 60.000. They live in very miserable circumstances, many of them being ill, hungry and weeping of desperation
10. Besides, it was overheard that the next attacks will be directed at Kudamati (Ambon-town) and Passo (at the end of the bay). Indeed there seems to be a concentration of muslim/jihad forces on both places. Also the airport at Laha and the christians of Laha are endangered. The ten thousands of refugees of Passo still hope to be able to flee to the mountains, where they probably will be hunted and killed as well. The military, fearing for there own lives, will undoubtedly either save themselves or choose the side of the attackers.


IMMEDIATE EVACUATION is of supreme importance. S.O.S. S.O.S. S.O.S.