RALLY TO SUPPORT AMBON/MALUKU
TIME: 12.30 - 2PM (CST)
DAY: THURSDAY
DATE: 14 SEPTEMBER 2000
VENUE: FOOTPATH
CNR RUNDLE MALL & KING WILLIAM ST
ADELAIDE SA
THENCE TO:
ALEXANDER DOWNER'S OFFICE
COMMONWEALTH BANK BUILDING
100 KING WILLIAM ST
RALLY TO SUPPORT AMBON/MALUKU
TIME: 12.30 - 2PM (CST)
DAY: THURSDAY
DATE: 14 SEPTEMBER 2000
VENUE: FOOTPATH
CNR RUNDLE MALL & KING WILLIAM ST
ADELAIDE SA
THENCE TO:
ALEXANDER DOWNER'S OFFICE
COMMONWEALTH BANK BUILDING
100 KING WILLIAM ST
ORGANISED BY:
* The Uniting Church of Australia
* Maluku Community in SA
* the union movement in SA (United Trades & Labour Council)
SUPPORTED BY:
* Campaign for an Independent East Timor (SA) Inc
DEMANDS:
* UN to send peacekeepers into Maluku
* international community to send humanitarian assistance into refugee
areas
* Australian government to negotiate with Indonesian leaders to stop the TNI
and their Jihad Warriors
* Australia to allow refugees from Maluku to stay in Australia until the
TNI & the Jihad Warriors have left their homeland
* Australia to call for an international ban against military cooperation
with
the TNI
For more information, contact:
Emily Pattiwael: 08 83392822
Scott Litchfield: 08 82364231
................................................................................
From: "Scott and Rachael Litchfield" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <Undisclosed-Recipient:@diablo.bold.net.au;>
Subject: Detail of the rally
Date: Fri, 8 Sep 2000 14:32:57 +0930
MIME-Version: 1.0
X-Priority: 3
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Rally for Ambon and Maluku
Come and lend your voice to call on the
Australian Government to:
a.. call on the UN to send peacekeepers to the Maluku area
b.. send food and medicines to the places in Maluku where refugees need them
c.. call on the Indonesian Government to stop the Jihad from their violent
actions
in Maluku.
d.. provide "safe haven" visas for the most vulnerable Maluku refugees.
e.. stop all military cooperation with the TNI and encourage other
nations to
do the
same
Thursday Sept 14
12:30pm
on the footpath of King William Street at the end of Rundle Mall
SAVE LIVES IN AMBON AND THE MOLUCCA ISLANDS (MAKUKU)
Where is Ambon ?
Ambon is the capital of the Moluccas Islands (the Indonesian Province of
Maluku), situated about 2300 km north east of Jakarta and 400 km north of
Darwin. Unlike the rest of Indonesia, the Molucca Islands have a roughly
even balance of Christians and Moslems, while about 90% of Indonesia's over
200 million people are nominal Muslims.
During the Second World War, 779 Australian soldiers died after the
Japanese invasion of the Dutch territories. In wartime the Ambonese would
pass on messages, leave food and cigarettes for work parties and provide
boats and safe houses for Australian escapees. Since 1976, every year an
Australian contingent has returned to honour mates who did not make it
home. In 1998, the group numbered 100, including families of prisoners of
war. Local Ambonese drape a six-metre banner on the Mutiara pub in Ambon
city, saying "Welcome back Gull Force". Anzac Day services have continued
to be observed since 1978 at the Ambon war cemetery, which holds 694 of the
Force.
What is happening in Ambon/Moluccas (Maluku) Today
In the past eighteen months, there has been an escalation of violence due
to sectarian conflict between Christians and Muslims, despite the
harmonious life they previously shared for centuries.
This conflict has been fomented by the Indonesian military (TNI) which is
trying to undermine the democratically elected Abdurrahman Wahid
government. The situation seriously escalated in April this year when the
TNI brought 10,000 Jihad Warrior militias to the Moluccas from other parts
of Indonesia. These militias have been trained on the island of Java for
the very purpose of destabilising the political situation in the Moluccas
islands.
With the support of elements of the Indonesian military (TNI) and with the
necessary arms and military training , they have successfully destroyed
many public installations, Christian villages and homes, leaving hundreds
of thousands of refugees fleeing into the hills and mountains with no food
or medical supplies. Children are ill because of the wet season and lack of
sanitation. At least 4000 have been killed, an official said. Other sources
reported more. Many more will die if no solution is found soon.
Some say the conflict may be worse than the rampage of the TNI militias in
East Timor last year. Two months ago, around 200 Christian villagers were
killed in Duma village on the Halmahera island (north of Ambon).
This is yet another major humanitarian disaster caused by the Indonesian
military. The generals have yet to be brought to justice for the 35 years
of crimes they have committed against humanity and yet they are receiving
military cooperation and support from Europe, Britain and the US.
We must remember that the TNI recruits, trains, arms and leads the militias
that are operating in East, West Timor and in West Papua.
What has been done to the Moluccans?
Despite the barbaric nature of atrocities being inflicted on the Christian
community, little has been done so far in the Moluccas. The Government of
Indonesia seems powerless as there is clear evidence of Indonesian soldiers
joining with the Muslim mobs in attacking Christians and neighbourhoods.
ProfessorJohn Titelay, a Moluccan Christian theologian told the July
meeting of the SA United Trades & Labor Council that even Muslim villages
were being affected by the activities of the Jihad Warriors and the TNI.
The situation in the Moluccas, in particular in Ambon has rapidly
deteriorated despite the imposition of a State of Civil Emergency and a
travel ban to the region by the Government of Indonesia. The absence of
international observers and monitors on the ground allows the militants and
compromised elements of the armed forces to act with impunity.
What do the people of the Ambon Need ?
The inability of the Indonesian government to end conflict has left the
Ambonese with no choice but to CALL FOR INTERNATIONAL INTERVENTION before
it is too late. Those who try to flee face terrible situations. An
overloaded boat sank with 500 Christians on board. Only 10 survived.
Refugees are wet (this being the rainy season in Ambon), hungry,
inadequately clothed, suffering from all kinds of sicknesses, intimidated
in their spirits. Ambonese need evacuation to a safer place where human
rights are respected.
What Can you do ?
* Write to the Australian Government to pressure the Indonesian military to
end the bloodshed and to call for the intervention of the United Nations.
* Call on the Australian Government not to have any military cooperation
with the TNI and to encourage other governments to do the same.
* Urgently speak out against the human rights violations in Ambon/Moluccas,
East and West Timor and West Papua in your church, union, human rights or
community group and on talk back radio.
* Write letters to the editor
* Pray for the safety of people, especially for women and children in Ambon
and the Moluccas.
For more information contact: Scott Litchfield 8236 4231 Emily Pattiwael
8339 2822
Organised by the Ambonese Community in SA, Uniting Church and the Trade
Union Movement in SA.
Scott Litchfield
World and Cross Cultural Mission
Commission for Mission
Uniting Church in Australia SA Synod
GPO Box 2145
Adelaide, 5001
2nd Floor
212 Pirie Street
Adelaide, 5000
Ph. 61 8 8236 4231
Fax 61 8 8227 0470
Note New Address, Phone and Fax
Rachael and Scott Litchfield
................................................................................
The Letters Editor
The Age
Dear Sir
Once again, the world wrings its hands at yet another appalling abuse of
human rights on the West Timor/East Timor border ["The Militia Kill 3 UN Aid
Workers" The Age7/90/2000].
Lindsay Murdoch and Mark Dodd, the writers of the article rightly blame the
Indonesian military [TNI] and the police for the problem. However, they
indicate
that the pressure will be put on the government in Jakarta.
There seems to be a great deal of dishonesty by the west in this matter.
Europe, Britain and the US resumed cooperation with the TNI not long after
the
bloodshed in East Timor of last year.
The TNI recruits, trains, arms and leads the militias in East and West Timor.
It is doing the same in West Papua. Further, the generals who led the
genocidal
regime in Jakarta for nearly 35 years have now introduced another type of
militia into the Maluku province of Indonesia. They are the Jihad (Holy War)
Warriors. There are 10,000 of them in this part of Indonesia where they are
causing massive bloodshed of innocent people. Four thousand people have
died and 400,000 have become refugees in their own land since early 1999.
The reason for the behaviour of these generals, none of whom have been made
to face justice for their crimes, is that they want to bring down the
democratically elected Wahid government. These men were the ones that allowed
Nike and other western corporations into Indonesia to exploit ordinary
Indonesians. Western leaders appear to be giving them military cooperation
because of the massive profits involved - both from arms sales and
exploitation.
When a NZ peacekeeper was killed a few weeks ago, our Foreign Affairs
Minister said we shouldn't blame the Indonesia military. Can he be taken
seriously when he makes such a statement?
If we want peace in our region, we have to stop all governments and arms
manufacturers from arming and training the TNI and doing more to support the
Indonesian government - not blaming it for the problems that unscrupulous
political and corporation leaders are causing.
Andrew (Andy) Alcock
Information Officer
Campaign for an Independent East Timor (SA) Inc
c/o Global Education Centre
Torrens Building
220 Victoria Square
ADELAIDE
SA 5000
PHONE: 08 82053200
PAGER: 08 82734382
FAX: 08 82236509
EMAIL: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
................................................................................
LL.SI
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