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News Archive
23 DEC 2002: "There were also three 'haggi' (literally 'pilgrims', a title that can be carried by Muslims after the Mecca pilgrimage, one of five pillars of Islam) praying in our chapel a few months ago, when one of our Sisters died: it was really very moving". These were the words of Sister Yolanda Vezzoli, Italian Canossian missionary, carrying out her mission in Bintaro, a neighbourhood just outside the Indonesian capital of Jakarta. Sister Yolanda, originally from Fontanella al Piano (Bergamo province, Italy), reminded that there has never been unrest between Catholics and Muslims in Bintaro: "the cohabitation - she stated - is absolutely peaceful". But how does the Catholic community live the Christmas season in the world? largest Muslim nation? "Naturally it is not very celebrated; the Muslims in fact just finished celebrating the Id al-Fitr solemnity which concludes Ramadan", explained the missionary. "But in our neighbourhood, which counts 12-thousand Catholics, the Christmas Novena began December 10, in a joyous spirit and with at heart the poor". "Adjoined to the parish we have a dispensary open to all - explained the missionary - and it is particularly the Muslims that seek and find assistance and medicine". A serene and close relationship between the two communities, which conflicts with the news that arrives from other regions of the planet, where much of the violence roots from inter-religious tensions. After spending 13 years in the Philippines and 14 in East Timor, 3 years ago Sister Yolanda arrived in Bintaro, where at the time there was no Catholic presence. "It is marvellous, the Holy Spirit conceded the birth of this great community, entirely integrated with the Muslims", explained with emotion the missionary. "First the Canossian house was built, then the parish, the novice house of the Xaverian missionaries, the house of exercises and now our novice. While this advent we went with the Xaverians to seek the most needy families, forced to live in crumbling huts, in an intent to give them a more decorous abode. We individuated four or five of them, some even Muslims, that for Christmas will have a new home. Also for the children we are preparing something that will bring them a little happiness". (BO)
Church mediates sensitive tribal land conflict among mainly Catholic population Larantuka (Fides Service 15/11/2002) - Land, the source of happiness and life for tribals, is often fought over with bloody violence. Father Fransiskus Aliandu says that for generations Larantuka diocese has tried to stop fighting between the Paji and the Demon tribes on Adonara Island, just east of Flores Island. Larantuka town is in eastern Flores, some 1,765 kilometers east of Jakarta. The Paji and the Demon do not recognize private property rights, and they "kill each other" over tribal land, and there is only tribal land, Father Aliandu explained to UCA News. The return of migrant workers deported some months ago from Malaysia, has worsened land conflict among tribal Catholics on this small island. Two killings in September were related to just such a land dispute between Lewokelen and Tobi villagers. Father Aliandu said the local Church will "continue mediating, cooperating with the local government and tribal leaders to stop the land-motivated killings. It is the Church's responsibility to always guide the Catholic faithful." For the people of Adonara, he said "land is like heaven it gives happiness and life". Even when a tribal migrant worker dies abroad the body is brought home to rest in tribal land. Larantuka diocese has a population of 247,268 of whom 230,375 are Catholics, gathered in 37 parishes looked after by 107 priests assisted by 44 Brothers and 208 Sisters.
New Anti-Christian Violence Feared in Indonesia
Armed men, apparently connected with the Islamic extremist group Lasker Jihad, reportedly attacked two villages in Sulawesi on Monday. At least four people were confirmed dead, and scores were driven from their homes as the villages were burned. Hundreds of other Christian families were gathering around the town of Tentena, hoping for protection from the assaults. The Sulawesi region has been scarred in recent months by a series of assaults on Christians by Islamic militia groups. The most recent attacks came after several weeks of relative quiet, and endanger efforts by the Indonesian government to bring a peaceful resolution to the religious violence in the Molluccas.
Church Fully Committed To Preserving National Unity, Difficult To Maintain In This Multiethnic Island Nation
Catholic Religious Orders, Mostly Local Men And Women, Serve The People All Over The Islands Jakarta (Fides
Service) - Since the early years of first evangelisation, Catholic
religious men and women have made a considerable contribution to
the development of the country and the building up of an Indonesian
Church. Tireless service to the people and spreading the Word of
God brought countless vocations among the local people, very open
to Christian spirituality. The local clergy is almost all Indonesian
born. Today 33 of the 35 dioceses have Indonesian Bishops and vocations
are flourishing
Indonesian Troops Involved In Massacre Of Christians? JAKARTA, 30-Apr-2002 (CWNews.com) -- At least 12 people were killed on Sunday morning when a paramilitary gang attacked a Christian village on Indonesia's Ambon Island, Christian Solidarity Worldwide has reported. An eyewitness told the Indonesian news agency Antara that the pre-dawn attack was carried out by some men wearing black uniforms and others wearing the standard uniform of the Indonesian army. The attackers went from house to house, breaking windows and shooting residents. The paramilitary force left the village after setting 30 buildings on fire, including a Protestant church. Tension has been building on Ambon Island-- and in the Moluccas region generally-- since announcements that a Christian separatist group known as the Republic of South Molucca would proclaim independence from Indonesia. Those announcements triggered a violent reaction from the Muslim militant group, Lasker Jihad, which has supported paramilitary attacks on Christians in the region. Sunday's attack underlines the fragility of the peace accord that was signed in February, and designed to end the sectarian violence that has torn the Moluccas for months. Christians spokesmen have complained that the Jakarta government is not taking adequate steps to protect Christians, and to suppress Islamic violence. The eyewitness report that Indonesian soldiers were involved in the attack on Ambon adds credibility to the suspicions that the Islamic paramilitary groups operate with the tacit approval-- and sometimes the active cooperation-- of Indonesia's military.
Christians Massacred In Moluccas AMBON, Indonesia, 29-Apr-2002 (Zenit.org).- Armed attackers raided a mainly Christian village on the outskirts of Ambon, killing at least 12 people and raising fresh doubts about the chances for peace in the Moluccas, news services reported. Armed with rifles, grenades and daggers, about a dozen men shouting "kill them all" today stormed the village of Soya, about 2,500 kilometers (1,600 miles) east of Jakarta, witnesses told the Associated Press. They set 30 homes and a Protestant church on fire, and went from house to house, shooting into those that were occupied. Six Christians, including an infant, were stabbed to death and six others were killed in fires. Two more were believed to have been shot to death. Indonesia´s official Antara news agency also said six people were wounded. The murders came two days after the militant Islamic group Laskar Jihad rejected the February peace deal, which aimed to halt the three years of fighting between Muslims and Christians that has left thousands dead. "It may be the end of the peace deal," said Christian pastor Cornelius Bohm in Ambon. "There is no doubt that it was Laskar Jihad" behind today´s attack, he said. A police source in Ambon, however, refused to speculate on the religion of the killers.
Bomb blast shatters Moluccas Peace Pact: four Christians killed Ambon (Fides) Tensions rises in the streets of the provincial capital of Ambon in the Moluccas, after a huge bomb exploded on Wednesday April 3, at noon, killed at least four people and injured 63 others, some seriously. Thirty minutes later the Governor's Offices building was torched and completely gutted in the ensuing four hour blaze. The fire was started by angry mobs, frustrated with the local authorities' apparent inability to curb violence after the peace pact signed in Malino last February which put an end to months of violence in which 15,000 lives were lost. The Crisis Centre of the Catholic diocese of Amboina, reports that the bomb exploded in a mainly Christian area of Ambon, the persons killed were all four Christians, destroying several sidewalk stalls and a small restaurant. The bomb is said to have been thrown from a red motor car. Police identified and questioned the owners of the vehicle. It is not certain who was behind the attack. Whereas the torching of the Governor’s Office, Crisis Centre says, could have been the work of local Christian residents, "frustrated by all the injustice they have suffered among other things the recent decision of the Governor to postpone the final date of voluntarily handing over weaponry by civilians until April 30, 2002. This decision undermines people’s trust in the consequent implementation of the Moluccas Agreement of Malino." The Crisis Centre adds that "the surrender of weapons is almost exclusively one-sided: it is virtually only the Christians that have surrendered weapons". Governor Saleh Latuconsina is determined to rebuild the office compound in the same place. Rebuilding may cost as much as US$1,500,000, 1, 175,000 Euro. The incidents triggered suspicion, making the two city communities wary of each other. One Fides’ local source says Muslims and Christians, who after the peace agreement had happily begun to circulate freely in each other’s districts, now keep fearfully to their own respective areas. (Fides 5/4/2002)
In Sulawesi Laskar Jihad plans Christmas bloodshed Jakarta Dec. 10, 2001 (Fides) - At least a thousand Muslim militants, believed to belong to the Laskar Jihad group, are hidden in the forest in Tojo District, some 70 km east of Tentena - a predominantly Catholic area near Poso, in Central Sulawesi. Local Fides sources say the Laskar Jihad is preparing a Christmas of bloodshed. The Christian community is in a state of alarm. Yos Adjalim of the Christian Church Crisis Centre says "We have informed the police of the situation and they say they are tracking down the Laskar Jihad". Fr Jimmy Tumbelaka, a Catholic priest in Tentena, says that after the arrival of the army troops and the Mobile Police Brigade sent by the Jakarta government to address the situation, (see Fides December 7, 2001) the militants left Poso town: "Now they are hiding in Tojo forest and surroundings, a secluded area, from where they can easily attack Tentena which is not protected by troops", the priest said. Deputy President of Indonesia, Hamsah Haz has confirmed that the government intends to restore peace in the area: "We will take immediate steps to end the conflict in Poso. The government will not let the situation deteriorate", he told the Jakarta Post newspaper. Meanwhile Defense Minister Matori Abdul Jalil has denied that Megawati's government is uncertain about intervention in Poso: "The executive is determined carry out a successful Security Restoration Operation. If necessary we will not hesitate to declare a state of emergency in Poso." In Surabaya,
the capital of East Java, police have confiscated an illegal stock
of weapons believed to belong to Laskar Jihad. Police is investigating
to see if the arms can be connected with the disappearance some
months ago of 700 machine guns and ammunition, looted from the police
headquarters in Ambon, capital of the Moluccas. Laskar Jihad commander
Ja'far Umar Thalib denied that the illegal arms found belong to
his group.
Indonesian Christians Suffering New Attacks New President Hasn´t Be Able to Control the Violence JAKARTA, Indonesia, DEC. 8, 2001 (Zenit.org).- Tensions between Muslims and Christians in Indonesia have flared up again in recent weeks. On Friday, thousands of Christians were hiding in jungle-clad mountains on the island of Sulawesi after their villages were attacked and razed by Muslim militias, Associated Press reported. Violence has also erupted in recent weeks in the Moluccas and on the island of Java. In October, Muslim warriors attacked Christian villages in the town of Poso, on Sulawesi. Armed with bombs and automatic weapons, the extremists attacked buses carrying Christians. And in East Java on Oct. 26 the Baptist church in the village of Tulung was torched and razed. The most serious problems took place in the Moluccas, where reconciliation is being attempted after fierce Muslim-Christian clashes over the last two years. Three Christians were killed Nov. 1 on the island of Buru. Several hundred armed Muslim militants, meanwhile, assaulted the mainly Christian village of Waimulang, leaving four dead and destroying at least 350 homes. More than 1,000 people fled into the forest for safety. The 10,000-strong Laskar Jihad is behind most of the violence in the Moluccas, which has left about 15,000 dead or wounded since 1999. Indonesia is the world´s most populous Muslim nation. Nearly 85% of its 228 million people are Muslim. The rest are Christian, Hindu or Buddhist. On Dec. 1, Associated Press reported that thousands of Christian villagers on Sulawesi were fleeing attacks by armed Muslim paramilitaries. Refugees are being housed in churches and government buildings, said Father Langgino Sangkide, who is based in the town of Tentena. Fighting between Muslim and Christian villagers in Sulawesi, about 1,000 miles northeast of Jakarta, has claimed at least 1,000 lives in the last two years. Dozens have been killed in recent weeks. The Jakarta Post quoted Bishop Joseph Suwatan of Sulawesi as saying armed militiamen had used bulldozers to destroy homes, churches and schools. The United Nations has warned that increasing tension in the region could trigger a flood of refugees. At least 50,000 people have already been displaced. A report in the Sydney Morning Herald warned that up to 7,000 heavily armed Muslim fighters were preparing to attack more than 60,000 Christian villagers on Sulawesi, according to United Nations and church officials. Thousands of Christian villagers in the Tentena area fear an imminent attack from the Jihad fighters, who have been trained by foreigners from Afghanistan and Pakistan. A church group that traveled last week to the area reported seeing Laskar Jihad flags at many roadblocks. Some had photographs of Osama bin Laden with the words, "This is our leader." The Jakarta Post quoted witnesses who claimed that scores of people had been killed and thousands of mainly Christian homes destroyed in the past few days by well-organized, uniformed Muslim militia equipped with machine guns, rocket launchers and even bulldozers. Associated Press reported Dec. 3 that Asmara Nababan, a member of the government´s National Human Rights Commission, said the situation in central Sulawesi was quickly deteriorating and the violence was continuing despite patrols. He said the predominantly Christian town of Tentena was surrounded by menacing Muslim fighters. Nababan said three human rights investigators were dispatched to the region to investigate why the police and military seemed unable to stop the conflict. On Dec. 5 the Sydney Morning Herald reported that more than 2,500 troops and police were being sent to central Sulawesi. Muslim fighters reportedly were poised to attack Christian villages in a remote area where 150 people have died in sectarian clashes over the past two months. Links to Taliban? A BBC report on Nov. 15 explained that Indonesia has a wide range of radical Islamic groups, many of which have close links with similar militant organizations throughout the Muslim world. Although small in number and on the margins of a generally tolerant society, the radical Islamic groups have become much more outspoken and visible, according to BBC. In recent weeks, one such group, Darul Islam, has claimed strong links with the Taliban in Afghanistan. "Every year since 1989, there has been cooperation in military training, and we have sent between 100 to 200 people each year to Afghanistan, to be trained to be good soldiers for Islam," the group´s spokesman Al Chaidar said. He says that assistance from an international network of Muslim extremists, including al-Qaida, flows into Indonesia. This, he says, is primarily to help local Muslim fighters continue their jihad against Christians in the Moluccas. President under pressure Megawati Sukarnoputri took over the presidency July 23 after the People´s Consultative Assembly voted 591-0 to oust Abdurrahman Wahid on charges of general incompetence and corruption. Her first priority has been to clear up the financial problems facing the country, the Asian Wall Street Journal noted Dec. 6. The local currency, the rupiah, has continued to lose ground, however, and in recent weeks the Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency has been forced to sell off some state-owned assets to cover its massive $140 billion in foreign debt, the Journal reported. Neither has the new president been able to counter the secessionist violence afflicting many areas. According to the Journal, about half of Indonesia´s military is being dispatched to Aceh, Irian Jaya and other rebel provinces. Using the army for this task may well result in human rights violations, observers fear. The Islamic extremists and secessionist movements not only threaten Christians. As an Oct. 10 analysis by Stratfor explained, these problems pose significant danger to much-needed investment by foreign companies. The tourism industry is suffering too. Another danger is that the dependence on the army to stabilize the country will give the military more political influence. Previously there were calls for the military -- whose representation in Parliament has been cut from 100 to 38 seats -- to get out of politics all together. Four of the Cabinet members are from the military and, according to Stratfor, Megawati does not want the armed forces to gain so much control over the political situation that she becomes a lame duck. For Christians,
the difficulties besetting Indonesia´s president mean that
extremist groups are too often able to act without fear of government
controls.
Jakarta set to impose state of emergency in Poso SULAWESI: Dec. 5, 2001: Indonesian authorities seem set to impose a state of emergency in the coastal town of Poso (Central Sulawesi, once Celebes Island), in the past days theatre to violent clashes between Muslims and Christians. The announcement was made yesterday by Co-ordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who yesterday visited Poso. Meanwhile, tension heightens among the tens of thousands of residents of the areas affected by the escalation of violence. The most recent clashes occurred in the Sepe village, in the sub-district Silanca, lasting three days, leaving six missing, 3 soldiers injured and 55 homes, two schools and a church burned. While in the location of Palu, six Muslims were captured by a group of Christians in retaliation for an a attack against their village by Jihad fighters (holy war). In the past days Bishop Joseph Suwatan of the diocese of Manado (to which Poso belongs) launched an alert on the growing insecurity in the region, referring that on November 27 and 28 hundreds of Muslim extremists attacked the villages of Betalemba, Patibunga and Tangkura and that the military had not succeeded in halting the onslaught. The religious violence, which is underway for over two years in the nearby Moluccan archipelago, situated more to the east, broke out last year in Sulawesi, so far claiming at least 300 lives and leaving tens of thousands homeless. International observers believe that in Central Sulawesi, as also in the Moluccas, the frequent clashes between Muslims and Christians cannot be simply considered religious violence, but in reality conflicts orchestrated by groups of power in the capital, Jakarta, who do not hesitate to use religion as an instrument to achieve their personal political and economic goals. (BO)
Sulawesi Christians call UN to help Manado (Fides) - "Conflict must be halted to prevent a tragedy". Christians in Poso District in Central Sulawesi have sent an urgent call for help to United Nations -Secretary General Kofi Annan. More than 50,000 Christians in this area have been forced to flee their homes after recent attacks by Muslim militants of Laskar Jihad. In a confidential letter, a copy of which was sent to the Bishop of Manado Joseph Suwatan, the Poso Christian Forum calls on the United Nations to put an end to the violence and violation of human rights in Poso. The letter says that the Indonesian government and local security forces have shown themselves incapable of ending the violence, which "must to be halted as soon as possible to avoid a human tragedy". Prominent figures in Poso signed the letter including Oldy Tacoh, Central Sulawesi Crises Centre secretary general; J. Santo Chairman of Poso Communication Centre; FWL Sowolino Chairman of Poso Youth Generation group; Rev. A. Rapalogji Chairman of Central Sulawesi Churches Synod and Fr Jimmy Tumbelaka representing the Catholic community in Poso. Fr Jimmy is at Tentena, a town about 40 km from Poso, with a population of about 60,000 mostly Christians. Now an estimated 28,000 displaced persons are seeking refuge in Tentena after recent attacks by Muslim guerillas, and Christians here fear further attacks: "If the Muslim militants attack our town there will be civil war because the local people are arming themselves to defend their territory", Fr Jimmy says. According to Fr Jimmy, also a member of the Poso Interreligious Forum, "the most important thing is for the police to send the Muslim militants back to their bases in Central and East Java, so that security and law order may be restored". Visiting the area last week UN humanitarian aid vice-coordinator Michel Elmquist, voiced concern for the reported imminent arrival of 7,000 militant Muslims and the deep hatred existing between local Christians and Muslims. But in Jakarta a member of the Laskar Jihad said the Muslim group was on an educational and humanitarian mission "to help Muslims to defend themselves from Christian attacks". Today in Poso one person was killed and four were injured by unidentified gunmen when resident Muslims stormed a local military post to demand release of their companions believed to be abducted by military. Sectarian clashes also occurred in Sepe village in Silanca sub-district over the last three days, leaving six people missing and more than 55 houses, two schools and a church burned down. Local police say clashes erupted when six Muslim villagers were abducted by supporters of the so-called Christian Red Force in retaliation for a raid by a Muslim group, believed by many to be paramilitary Laskar Jihad members. In the meantime in Jakarta President Megawati Sukarnoputri says she is ready to take measures to stop violence in Poso district. The government will send army and security forces to restore law and order. The Minister for Political Affairs and Security, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, accompanied by high army officers, went to Sulawesi to meet local authorities. "The government is ready to declare a state of emergency" he said, announcing a government plan to dispatch four battalions, about 1,400 men, to undertake security operations. (Fides 5/12/2001)
Laskar Jihad militants raze Christian villages in Sulawesi Jakarta (Fides) - An estimated 50,000 mainly Christian refugees are fleeing brutal sectarian attacked by Muslim Laskar Jihad militants about 40 kilometers south of Poso town. Bishop Josef Suwatan of Manado (Northern Sulawesi) told Fides that scores of well organised, uniformed militia equipped with machine-guns, rocket launchers and even bulldozers attacked villages in Poso area, destroying hundreds of mainly-Christian homes. The Catholic Bishop called for police intervention to restore order.
Jakarta Post daily, reports that hundreds of homes in settlements around Poso, had been destroyed by uniformed members of the Laskar Jihad militia group. In three days of violence the villages of Betalemba, Patiwunga, Tungkura, Sanginora and Debua were razed to the ground. Fighting between Muslim and Christian villagers in the province has claimed at least 1,000 lives since it first broke out in 1999. It abated at the start of this year, but flared up again in September with the arrival of 200 members of the Laskar Jihad militia. Laskar Jihad, based on Java, launched attacks in eastern Maluku stoking a sectarian conflict that has claimed about 15,000 victims. Manado diocese has opened a crisis centre with Muslims and Christians to promote reconciliation. Bishop Suwatan as asked the central government to intervene to stop the violence. But observers say President Megawati Sukarnoputri is reluctant to take action against the Muslim militants because she is indebted to conservative Muslim parties that supported her campaign to oust reformist president Wahid. Indonesia is the world's most populous Muslim country. Nearly 88% of its 211 million people are officially registered as Muslims. Christians are 10%. (Fides 01/12/2001)
Indonesian Church Burned By Muslim Extremists JAKARTA, Nov 27, 01 (CWNews.com) - Muslim extremists intent on killing Christians burned a church in the Indonesian city of Poso, a policeman said on Tuesday. The city of Poso in the Sulawesi province saw hundreds of people killed two years ago in clashes between Christians and Muslims. The policeman said the church was fire-bombed on Monday, but that no one was injured and there were no other related attacks. The bombing followed the arrival of Laskar Jihad, an extremist group of paramilitaries who have also wreaked havoc in the Moluccas region. More than 8,000 people have been killed in fighting in the Moluccas, a majority Christian region in Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, since fighting between rival gangs began in 1998.
Indonesian Catholics Under Siege by Jihad Forces AMBON, Indonesia, Nov 26, 01 (CWNews.com) - A group of buildings owned by the Catholic Church in Indonesia are under siege as Muslim extremists attempt to seize it, according to London-based Christian Solidarity Worldwide. The group said members of the extremist Laskar Jihad have been fighting security forces in Ambon city in the Moluccas region for control over a Catholic diocesan educational compound. The compound is apparently seen as a strategic location because of its position overlooking several Christian neighborhoods. More than 8,000 people have been killed in fighting in the Moluccas, a majority Christian region in Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, since fighting between rival gangs began in 1998. Last year, organized militias of Muslim holy war fighters entered the region with more sophisticated weapons and embarked on a campaign to eradicate Christians. The conflict has raged for the last week over the Catholic complex, as well as a disabled children's compound, according to Father Bohm of the Catholic Crisis Center, a human rights information center. The aims of the attack are reported to be to use the complex as a Jihad training centre and to use the strategic location of the compound to attack the surrounding Christian neighborhoods. Father Bohm added that if the complex fell into the hands of the militants, they would not only be able to attack the Christian areas but also to cut off the road to Soya village, the only escape route available for the Christians living in surrounding areas.
Muslim-Christian Violence Erupts Again in Moluccas AMBON, Indonesia, NOV. 20, 2001 (Zenit.org).- The Muslim-Christian conflict in the Moluccas archipelago erupted after a two-month lull with new attacks against Christian communities. Last weekend the bodies of two Christians were found in the Mardika and Wailela neighborhoods, the missionary agency Misna reported. It quoted sources of the Crisis Center of the Catholic Diocese of Ambon, capital of the Moluccas. The Vatican agency Fides on Nov. 1 reported that an armed Muslim militia, composed of hundreds of people, attacked the primarily Christian village of Waimulang, killing four people and taking 13 military men hostage. The militia destroyed at least 350 homes. More than 1,000 residents fled into the forest for safety. Tensions continue to escalate. The "Gonzalo Veloso" mission, directed by the missionaries of the Sacred Heart of Ambon, is the scene of nightly shootings between Muslim guerrillas, who support the jihad, and the military and police. The Muslims´ objective is to occupy the mission complex, located on the outskirts of Karang Panjang, and turn it into their main barracks. The mission was attacked June 12 by bomb-tossing extremists. Muslim-Christian clashes began in January 1999, over a dispute in Ambon between immigrants and local residents. The situation has degenerated since then, causing murders, mass assaults, and attacks. Thousands have died. ZE01112006 MOLUCCAS: ATTACK ON CHRISTIAN VILLAGE IN BURU After months of relative calm, the violence resumed in Indonesia's Moluccan archipelago. Hundreds of armed men attacked the village of Waimulang, prevalently inhabited by Christians, situated on Buru Island, west of Ambon. Three villagers were killed and at least 13 of the soldiers that intervened to sedate the violence are missing. The attackers, that arrived on the island onboard at least 14 vessels, set fire to around 350 homes, forcing over a thousand residents to flee the village. Authorities of Buru met with representatives of the committee for the state of emergency in the Moluccas, declared in May 2000, and expressed extreme concern over fate of the villagers that fled into the bush, that "cannot return home because the village was occupied by the invaders". The military promised to deploy troops to clear out the armed occupants. Clashes between Muslims and Christians officially began 19 January 1999 in the Moluccas, unleashed by a futile dispute between immigrants and local residents in the administrative centre of Ambon. The situation degenerated since that date, in certain periods even into mass attacks, murders and forced conversions on a daily basis, resulting in the death of at least 8-thousand. In the past months the two communities seemed however to have ceased hostilities in a move to resume trade and relaunch the local conomy. (BO) Missionary Service News Agency
AMBON: RENEWED MUSLIM ATTACKS AGAINST CHRISTIAN NEIGHBOURHOODS, VICTIMS 21 May 2001: Ulterior violence marred Ambon, administrative centre of Indonesia's Moluccas. On Sunday 20 May night Jihad fighters (Islamic Holy War) attacked the Christian neighbourhoods of Mardika, Soa Kecil, Belakang Soya and Karang Panjang, as referred to MISNA by the Fathers of the Crisis Centre of the Catholic diocese of Ambon. Underlining that at least three Christians were killed and another nine were critically injured in the attacks. Local press sources instead reported six dead and at least 17 injured. The Crisis Centre also referred that the battle was particularly violent: numerous fire arms were fired, dozens of grenades went off and several homes were set on fire. Ulterior attacks against the neighbourhoods of Pohon Pule, Diponegoro and Urimessing were successfully repelled by a military battalion, specified the Fathers of Ambon. However, in the other areas attacked last night, "it appeared that the security forces just let it happen, letting the Muslim intruders pass and enter the Christian areas unhindered." One soldier apparently even said: "It is a war of the Obeds (Christians) among themselves." The conflict between the two religious communities broke out in January 1999 in Ambon and rapidly spread to various parts of the archipelago. Since the beginning of the clashes an estimated 8-thousand people have died and up to half a million have been displaced. In a interview, released by MISNA Ambon's Bishop Petrus Canisius Mandagi stated that the extremist Islamic leaders "are utilised by certain organisations or influential politicians in Jakarta, as to obtain distinct advantages and major power." (BO)
LAND
OF HEADHUNTERS GETS A NEW BISHOP Vatican City , MAR. 7, 2001 (ZENIT.org-FIDES).- What will a new bishop do when his territory includes headhunters? That is the challenge confronting Father Aloysius Sustrisnaatmaka, the newly designated bishop for Palangkaraya on the island of Borneo, in the Indonesian archipelago. In recent days missionaries have reported ethnic strife here which has led to 3,000 decapitations. Many of the inhabitants of this island, one of the largest of the world (220,000 square miles and 10.5 million inhabitants), come from Madura, north of Java. They have been attacked by the aboriginal peoples, the Dayaks, enraged after having suffered an attack in December. At present, they have gathered their forces among all the inhabitants of the island belonging to their ethnic group, and launched a revenge attack, taking recourse to the ancestral practice of beheading "unworthy" immigrants. Java-born Father Sustrisnaatmaka, 47, will be ordained a bishop next month. He will lead a Catholic community of 52,000. In this interview with the missionary agency Fides, Father Sustrisnaatmaka explains what his strategy will be to promote the restoration of peace. --Q: What will be your priorities as bishop in that bloodied island? --Father Sustrisnaatmaka: It is urgent to work for dialogue and reconciliation between Madurese and Dayaks, who constitute the majority of the population. This violence is tragic and surprising. The diocesan administrator of Palangkaraya has told me that there might be some 3,000 dead. The Church will make all her resources available for the dialogue. I will speak with the leaders of the factions. Other aspects of the pastoral [program] are the improvement of the economic conditions of the indigenous tribes, and social and educational work. --Q: What steps must be taken to restore peace? --Father Sustrisnaatmaka: The leaders of both factions must be brought together in semiofficial meetings, to find provisional solutions. In addition, people will have to be divided into ethnic groups, so that calm will return. The second step is to foster the employment of Dayaks, and the integration of the natives in the socioeconomic fabric. In the third place, the local administration of the provinces must be shared, the property of the Javanese and the Madurese. Although a minority, the Church must contribute its effort of mediation to give incentive to dialogue and reconciliation. It is a difficult task but, as a man of faith, I have confidence in peace and am optimistic. --Q: Aren't you afraid of being rejected because of your Javanese ethnic identity? --Father Sustrisnaatmaka: I am not afraid. The Dayak Catholic community is very peaceful; the natives have a tender heart and accept immigrants. I will try to help the local clergy and catechists theologically and pastorally, and will seek financial support abroad. Along with the other bishops of Borneo -- two belong to my religious congregation, the Missionaries of the Holy Family -- we will work together for peace in Kalimantan [the Indonesian part of Borneo]. --Q: What are the real reasons for the conflict? --Father Sustrisnaatmaka: The principal root is the contrast between the wealth of the Madurese and the poverty of the Dayaks. The former are great workers and good businessmen; the resources of the natives are nature and land. Sometimes, Madurese immigrants do not respect the culture of the native tribes. This has caused hatred, which the government has been unable to control. --Q: How is evangelization progressing in Borneo? --Father Sustrisnaatmaka: Transport is by river; there are no telephones or electricity in the villages. Evangelization is very difficult. It is done through human contact. Catechists and missionaries visit villages and speak with tribal chiefs. Their role is very important; people listen to them. Over the past four years, we have had 10,000 baptisms in the Diocese of Palangkaraya. --Q: What do you think of the political situation in Indonesia? --Father Sustrisnaatmaka: Indonesia is experiencing political struggles that generate insecurity and fear of the country's fragmentation. However, unity is a decisive good: There are over 300 tribes in the country that can live together in liberty and democracy, and certainly not with the oppression of the past. ZE01030706
3,000
DECAPITATIONS REPORTED IN BORNEO Jakarta, Indonesia, MAR. 6, 2001 (Zenit.org).- Some 3,000 people in Borneo have been beheaded by the Dayaks, heirs of the terrible headhunters, in retaliation for ethnic violence, according to a missionary's report. The revelations were made by Father Willibard Pfeiffer, 61, a Holy Family missionary and diocesan administrator of Palangkaraya. He sent a letter dated March 2 to the Indonesian bishops to inform them of the situation. Fides published the letter Monday. Borneo is the third largest island in the world. It is situated between the Philippines and the Island of Java, and has 8.7 million inhabitants. The violence has forced hundreds of thousands of Madurese - inhabitants of the island of Madura, north of Java - to flee the massacre. In his letter, Father Pfeiffer reconstructs the events, which broke out Feb. 17 when the Madurese, enraged by an attack they suffered last December, made a surprise attack on the Dayaks, capturing the city of Sampit, causing six deaths. The Dayaks fled. After reorganizing, the Dayaks called on the assistance of their people in other parts of the Island, and recaptured Sampit. "There was no mercy," the missionary reported. "The Madurese who did not manage to escape or happened to pass by were directly murdered. The houses of the Madurese along the road from Sampit to Palangkaraya were torched and ravaged." "The condition of the refugees is appalling," the missionary reported. "The shelters are too narrow, not enough tents, so many of them have to stay under scorching sun and rains. Six people were reported to have died in the shelters, among them a woman, while giving birth to her baby." "Diseases also begin to appear, while food is scarce and so is water," Father Pfeiffer added. The slaughter started in Palangkaraya on Feb. 25. "Fortunately, many Madurese had fled Palangkaraya, but many remained," the missionary's letter reveals. "We do not know their fate. Many of their houses were gutted. Rumors circulate that after Palangkaraya, the Dayaks are going to attack Pangkalan Bun in the district of West Kotawaringin. Their slogan is 'the Madurese must disappear from Kalimantan,'" the Indonesian part of Borneo. It would seem the plan is going ahead, as the BBC reported, given the inaction shown by Indonesian authorities. The thousands of soldiers sent to re-establish order in the province have witnessed the killings without lifting a finger. According to the BBC, their only role "has been to protect the close to 200,000 refugees in Sampit from further attacks." ZE01030604 MIXED
MARRIAGES BEING DISCOURAGED IN INDONESIA Jakarta, Indonesia, FEB. 9, 2001 (Zenit.org).- Catholic clergy in Indonesia are discouraging young Catholics from marrying non-Catholics, particularly Muslims. The Diocese of Pontianak, for instance, recently organized a formation course for youth on morals in marriage and the problems posed by mixed marriages. The question is a burning issue in this nation of 224 million people, 86% of whom are Muslim and about 3% are Catholic. In recent years, Christians have suffered persecution by Muslim fundamentalists in some of the archipelago's islands. Last Christmas Eve, bombs exploded in several churches. In the Moluccas, signs of genocide are arising. The instructors of the course in Pontianak, held at the interdiocesan seminary in the city, explained the norms of canon law that regulate the dispensation for such marriages. Father William Chang, seminary rector, warned that such marriages "always have an effect on the life of faith of the family and on the formation in the faith of the young children." Father Lukas Ahon, responsible for the diocesan youth commission, spoke of what he has seen in recent years. "We have discovered that young Catholics lose their faith easily because of mixed marriages," he told the young people in attendance. Bishop Hieronymus Bumbun of Pontianak gave hope to those who nevertheless marry people of other religions by encouraging them to be "light and salt" for their spouses. An engineer who married a Muslim woman gave his own testimony: "I survived thanks to the fact I continued to pray and to read the Bible, and thanks to the support of the parish." ZE01020903
CATHOLIC BISHOPS OF WEST AND EAST FOR RECONCILIATION Dili (Fides) – The immediate repatriation of refugees from West to East Timor; support for the process of reconciliation and the setting up of a special Commission; a firm request to the Indonesian government to guarantee security in West Timor. These are the main points of a statement released by the Catholic Bishops of Timor, east and west, who met on January 5, 2001 in Dili, in the presence of Archbishop Renzo Frattini, Nuncio in Indonesia. Speaking with Fides, Bishop Carlos Ximenes Belo, apostolic administrator of Dili, stressed the importance of the event: "this was the first time we came together to discuss the humanitarian problem, the return of the refugees. For our part we want to say that today East Timor is in peace: we are ready to welcome the people home". Presently the new nation is administered by the United Nations Transitional Authority for East Timor which, before the end of January, will announce a date for the first general elections in the history of East Timor. Regarding the situation of the local Church, Bishop Belo said: "The Church too suffered violence and had victims in September 1999, but she gradually recovered. Today she is thriving thanks also to our youth. Moreover our martyrs filled the people with courage and hope". The statement is signed by Archbishop Peter Turang of Kupang and Bishop Anton Pain Ratu of Atambua (w. Timor) Bishop Belo and Mgr Mario do Carmo Lemos Belo, vicar general of Baucau (e. Timor). The Bishop say that "the great majority of refugees wish to be repatriated to their homeland in East Timor" and they urge the Indonesia government to provide logistic support for repatriation operations. The local Church continues to work for the reconciliation of the people and the Bishops voice support for the "formation of a Commission for Truth and Reconciliation and the inquiry by the Judicial Institutions based on the value of forgiveness for those who recognise their responsibility in the tragic events of the past". The Prelates ask the Indonesian government to provide security in the refugee camps and "control those who are exploiting the painful situation of these people for their own political purposes and economic advantages". The statement ends with an appeal to international organizations to resume work in West Timor to assist the refugees. In fact many NGOs had left the island after threats by paramilitary groups. Timor is divided in two parts: the West belongs to Indonesia, the East is independent since August 30, 1999, when 78.5% of the people voted to separate from Jakarta. Violent reaction against civilians by Indonesian paramilitary unionists caused seven thousand victims and at least 300,000 refugees across the border to West Timor. In 2000 some 170,000 were repatriated thanks to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees. There are still 125,000 in West Timor camps at Atambua, Betun and Kupang where pro-Indonesia militia continue to terrorize the refugees, preventing their return home. (Fides 10/01/2001)
CHRISTMAS BOMBER INFILTRATES FRANCISCAN COMMUNITY
Jakarta (Fides)-
Indonesian Army Special Forces are behind deadly bombings in 10
towns in Indonesia in Christmas Eve that killed 16 people and injured
almost 100. A suspected member of the National Defence Forces was
found to have infiltrated the Karmat Franciscan community in Central
Java.
MOLUCCAS - VICTIMS TELL OF VIOLENCE, BEHEADING AND FORCED CONVERSION Jakarta (Fides) - Christina Sagat, a thirty-two old unmarried woman described in detail her circumcision to escape death. She is just one of the victims in Ambon (Moluccas) where hundreds of Christians cannot escape a campaign of violence and forced conversion launched by Jihad warriors. Fides was sent testimony from an international human rights group which is drafting a dossier to be issued after Christmas which also be the end of Ramadan. Christina along with a thousand other Christians escaped death during the November 23 and 24 attack upon their villages on the island of Kasui. The number killed in those attacks is unclear but definitely a number were killed and at least one was beheaded. A jihad leader was seen returning from attacking a Christian village carrying the head of Linus R. a paralyzed man. The jihad leader brought back a head as proof that the Muslims of Kasui had carried out the commands of Al Fatah Mosque to "finish off the Christians of Kasui". Christians and Muslims in the Moluccas and Indonesia say "this is not a religious war of Muslim against Christians". It is "a war of the powerful including former president Suharto and army factions against President Wahid". "Tactics are the same as in East Timor" said John Barr, Secretary of the United Church (Protestant) for East Timor and Indonesia. "The jihad warriors come from outside Indonesia and they are support by the military". But violation of human rights of men and women, reaches humiliating levels. Witness collected by human rights activists gave Fides a gruesome picture of what is happening to Christians in Kesui and Teor. After the initial attacks upon their villages the surviving Christians were gathered into several mosques where they were forced under the threat of death to perform conversion rituals. Initially the victims were forced to take a ritual bath of cleansing and to repeat three times a Muslim declaration (prayer). They were asked if they were doing this willing and with fear in their hearts they all answered their attackers, "yes". Some had witnessed the death of an elementary school teacher who refused to convert. Word of the women being circumcised was initially met with skepticism and hopes that the ritual was only symbolic. But the victims bravely shared the intimate details of their ordeal. As with the men the women were not provided with painkillers or antiseptic. The women did bathe in the ocean to cleanse their wounds. Christina and Constantinus and Vincent request help in rescuing the 856 Christians (Protestants and Catholics) left on the island of Kasui. Hundreds were left behind because the ship was not large enough to carry all of them and those who boarded the ship were threatened that their relatives left behind would be killed if they left on the ship. Many disembarked in order to protect their family members. Yesterday, in front of a Muslim assembly in Jakarta, President Wahid condemned forced conversions. The Indonesian government has no plans to rescue these nine hundred people. "They are waiting until the end of Ramadan - Fides sources report - They may take action after the big Muslim holiday of Idul Fitri, 27 and 28 December. But will the people still be alive? What will they suffer in the mean time? (5/1/2001)
MOLUCCAS - BISHOP OF AMBOINA SENDS SOS TO KOFI ANNAN: ENOUGH WITH JUNGLE LAW Ambon (Fides) – "We call on the international community in the name of human values, human dignity, human rights, order and security of people’s lives, to help the Indonesian government to end the savagery and violence in the Moluccas and the forced conversions". Fides received a copy of this SOS message addressed by Catholic Bishop Petrus Canisius Mandagi of Amboina (Moluccas) to the Secretary General of the United Nations, and heads and ambassadors of nations ‘who have friendly relations with Indonesia’. The Bishop affirmed that the Indonesian government "has proved not to be able to end the conflict in the Moluccas" and "the Republic of Indonesia has failed to guarantee and maintain justice and human rights, by lack of seriousness and constancy, honesty and integrity" so that now "what prevails is the law of the jungle, barbarism and savagery". The most urgent actual need is the presence of international security forces, an international and independent survey and investigations teams to restore law and respect for human rights. Fighting in the Moluccas started 23 months ago, the Bishops recalls: since then there has been an escalation of violation of human rights and violation of civil law, by both the local population and by government authorities and institutions. "There have been countless acts of savagery, depravedness and criminality, such as torturing, raping of women and other sexual abuse, persecution, slaughtering, looting and destroying of property – all of which carried out by adherents of religious majorities towards the adherents of religious minorities." Most of the victims are just simple people, who are poor and defenseless, innocent and blameless. "Only recently – the Bishop writes – reports have reached us about large-scale and ruthless Islamisation of Christians, both by brutal force and leaving them no choice. This happened in many places, including the islands of Buru and East Ceram, and most recently on the small islands of Kasui and Teor. On Kasui of the 692 Catholics, at least 473 are still alive and they have been Islamised: nothing is known about the fate of the other 219 Catholics. On Teor, with 841 Catholics, 142 have been Islamised, about 300 succeeded in fleeing to Kei Kecil island, while the remaining 400 are still on Teor. So of the 1,533 Catholics on the islands of Kasui and Teor, 615 have been forced to become Muslims, or have chosen to become Muslims rather than lose their lives. On these islands there are hundreds of Protestant Christians who have been converted to Islam in the same way. All these people urgently need to freed and evacuated from Kasui and Teor. (5/1/2001)
MASSACRE
OF CHRISTIANS DURING MIDNIGHT MASS IN INDONESIA
MUSLIM
EXTREMISTS KEEP UP ATTACKS ON CATHOLIC VILLAGES INDONESIA BISHOP SAYS CHURCH MIGHT BE NEXT TARGET ATAMBUA, Indonesia, (CWNews.com/Fides) - An Indonesian bishop, reflecting on a deadly attack on a United Nations compound in the province of West Timor this week, warned that the Catholic Church might be the next target of militia groups. "The situation is unruly and threatening and it might worsen if people were afraid of asking help from humanitarian agencies. The next target might be the Church," Bishop Anton Pain-Ratu of Atambua, West Timor said one day after the murder of three members of the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and a civilian in Atambua, on the border between East and West Timor. The bishop commented on the withdrawal of aid agencies: "The absence of the agencies will make the East Timorese refugees even more desperate. UN humanitarian staff have been evacuated to Bali. This has left the refugees without assistance." He condemned the attack on the UNHCR staff adding that other international and local humanitarian agencies have been threatened, including the Jesuit Refugee Service active in West Timor. On September 5, Bishop Pain-Ratu met West Timor governor, provincial head of police, and local military commander in West Timor, General Kiki Syahnakri to discuss security in the area, but said he was still concerned. The bishop said that since Thursday the pro-Jakarta militia and about 2,000 of their supporters run around town to air their grievances and protest against the killing of their leader in unknown circumstances. The militia had just been named by Indonesian Attorney General Marzuki Darusman among 19 suspects for their role in the violence after the independence ballot in East Timor last year. "Observers claim the grievance prompted the attack against the UNHCR staff members and buildings" he said. Before the attack on September 6, the UNHCR staff in West Timor had been attacked several times in more than 100 episodes of violence and intimidation, leading to the suspension of its assistance. According to Human Rights Watch Asia responsibility for the death of the UNHCR staff members can be attributed directly to the Jakarta government's failure to control the militia: "This would not have happened if Indonesian authorities had taken steps to disband the militias in West Timor and persecute them for known acts of violence," said Joe Saunders, deputy Asia director of Human Rights Watch. "But instead local civilian and military authorities gave every encouragement to these men and their political front to intimidate East Timorese refugees under their control." Indonesia, the most populous Muslim nation in the world, invaded mainly Catholic East Timor in 1975 and annexed it the following year in a move not recognized by the United Nations. In August 1999, the region held a Jakarta-proposed referendum to allow Timorese to choose either autonomy within Indonesia or full independence. After the pro-independence results were revealed, pro-Indonesia militias, armed and backed by Indonesia's military, went on a rampage, killing hundreds and forcing hundreds of thousands to flee the former Portuguese colony into West Timor. (8-Sep-2000 - EWTN News Brief ) |