Mathias Hariyadi

INDONESIA
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.

(Fides 5/4/2002)