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Jihad in Indonesia
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This message was recieved from a friend of mine. Christians are being hunted down and slaughtered by Muslims in the name of Jihad. This situation has also been announced in my church. I urge all of you to read it and pray for our brethren in Indonesia. Fast if you must. They need our prayers.
Details are as follows:
Dear friends,>> A further update from a personal friend from ID regarding > the current situation in Ambon. You are welcome to send > this to other Christians if you wish.>> Blessings> Shireen> > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~> > Personal report from ‘Louise’ on the situation in Ambon> 27-7-00> > I, ‘Louise’, am here in Jakarta, Indonesia, accompanying my > husband who is working here. I have been working with a > team of other Christians giving aid to people of all religions > who are in need because of the economic crisis.> > We have also sent Bibles, food and medicines to Christians > in Ambon. The situation in Ambon has deteriorated rapidly > over the last few weeks, to the point that we are now focussing > all our efforts on the crisis there. I have set out over the last > few days to collect information about Ambon from as many > different sources as possible. I understand sufficient > Indonesian to have been able to speak directly to Indonesian> people.> > God bless each of you as you pray for this situation,>> ‘Louise’> > Note: I have been advised to use a pseudonym to lower > the risk to myself and those I am working with.> > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~> > Direct quotes from The Jakarta Post newspaper> > · 15-7-00 The Minister of Defence, Juwono Sudarsono > was interviewed. He stated,> “The dispatch of Laskar Jihad (Moslem Holy War > Soldiers) and other forces has reached almost 10,000 > people in the last three months and they have become > the main reason for the ongoing ground conflict.” and > “There are some, or even many, members of the Army .. > who have become a major cause of the clashes.”> > · 24-7-00 A local (Ambon) reporter stated, “We > recognised some of the attackers as plains clothes > security personnel’. He added “The rioters were > trying to occupy the southern part of Ambon, which > has long been known as an area which links downtown > with a predominantly Christian area in the southwest.” > He added that “roadblocks have been set up almost > everywhere in downtown Ambon, where residents are > facing food and fuel shortages. Most fuel depots lie > in Muslim-controlled territories.”> > · 25-7-00 Brig. Gen. I Made Yasa, chief of the > Military Command overseeing Maluku said that it would > soon begin deporting some 1,900 members of Laskar > Jihad (Jihad Force). “They will be sent back to> Java” he said. > In Yogyakarta, the parent organisation of the Jihad > Force threatened on 24-7-00 to fight their war in Java > or Sumatra if they were barred from protecting their > Muslim brothers in Maluku.> Maluku Police Chief Brig. Gen. Firman Gani said he > believed that the deportation of ‘unwanted > outsiders’, a term used to refer to members of the > Jihad Force, would restore peace and order to Maluku. > Police intelligence put the number of Jihad fighters> at 5,000 people.> > · 26-7-00 Military Commander Brig. Gen. I Made Yasa > ordered the Zipur V battalion back to its barracks in > East Java. The battalion was alleged to have taken ‘a > partial stance’ in handling the conflict and to have > involved themselves in attacks in the disputed areas > of Diponegoro, Mangga Dua and Airmata Cina (all > Christian areas) on July 20. Maluku Police chief > Brig. Gen. Firman Gani hailed the move saying the > local authorities had pledged to expel all ‘unwanted > outsiders or parties’ including members of the > country’s security forces and the Jihad Force who> instigated unrest.> > · 27-7-00 The executor of the civil emergency status > in Maluku, Governor Saleh Latuconsina, called on > 26-7-00 for support from the central government and > related authorities in expelling the Jihad Force from> the territory. > The Yogyakarta based Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jamaah Forum > Jihad Force said on 24-7-00 it would send 1,300 > fighters to reinforce thousands of others who arrived> in Maluku in May. > Maluku Police Chief Brig. Gen. Firman Gani said there > were approximately 2,000 members of the Jihad Force in> Ambon.> > · 27-7-00 The Suara Maluku daily newspaper reported > that heavily armed rioters shut down communications in > Aster Tantui district by cutting power lines. The > action resulted in a communications blackout in the > predominantly Christian villages of Hative Kecil and > Galala, as well as in Halong, Lateri and Paso. The > city is also experiencing a shortage of food and > medical supplies for the thousands of refugees living > in makeshift tents in the hills .. in the eastern> part of Jasirah Ambon. > (as quoted in Jakarta Post)>> Information from personal interviews> > On 24-7-00 and 25-7-00 I had extended conversations > with 13 Christians from Ambon who are personally known > to me. All thirteen had had contact with close > family and/or friends in Ambon over the last few days. > The information they presented to me about the > current situation in Ambon was remarkably consistent.> > Information direct from family members or close > friends in Ambon (much of this is verified by the> newspaper reports above)> > · Since the arrival of the Jihad forces in May, > fighting has greatly intensified with the use of > modern military weapons against Christians.> > · Many members of the military are directly involved > in fighting for those of their own faith. Given that > the vast majority are Moslem, that means that almost > all are fighting against Christians.> > · Very large numbers of Christians have been driven > from their homes. They are now concentrated in two > main areas. The largest number are south and east of > the city of Ambon. The second largest group are in > the Paso-Halong area. The only safe way between these > two areas is through the mountains. It is extremely > risky to go by sea up the harbour to this area as > boats are fired on by snipers.> > · Some of those who have fled are sharing homes of > other Christians or living in other buildings in the > remaining Christian areas.> > · Many others have fled to the mountains where they > have little or no shelter from the monsoon rains and > no food. Reports are coming out of some deaths > amongst children and old people because of the living> conditions there.> > · There is an increasing shortage of food available to > Christians, even those still in or near the city of > Ambon. Most food is in Moslem hands. The little food > there is has become too expensive for many. Rice has > increased from Rp 2,500 per kg to Rp 15,000 per kg.> > · All schools and offices are now closed, with many> destroyed.> > · A few banks accessible to Christians are still > providing limited services, but they are in areas> being bombed.> > · In some parts of Ambon city still occupied by > Christians they must run if they are moving around to> avoid sniper fire.> > · Three hospitals in Christian areas are still open.> > · The seaport is in Muslim hands and the airport > difficult for Christians to reach safely.> > · There is a wharf in shallow waters which is in a > Christian area, from which access to the open sea can> be gained.> > · At present only one inter-island ship travelling a > route safe to Christians services Ambon. It arrives > in Ambon only once every two weeks.> > · Most men want to stay in Ambon to protect their > homes, but there is now a general feeling that women, > and children should be evacuated. However, there are > no suitable boats available to evacuate large numbers > and there is no plan for where they should go. No one > knows exactly how many Christians are still in Ambon. > The latest estimates are maybe 120-130,000 from an > original population of 200,000 Christians.> > On 26-7-00 I spent the whole day meeting with two > Christian women who had just come out from Ambon. The > two women had not previously met.> > These two women verified all of the points listed > above. Jihad Forces have forced Ambonese Muslims to > take them into their homes, and they have raped some > women and girls as young as 12.> > One of the women brought a video filmed in Ambon over > the period 18-21 July (the dates showed on the> screen). The video showed:> > · people running in order to avoid sniper fire.> > · A mortar bomb which had landed in a Christian home.> > · A home overflowing with refugees waiting for the> next ship to leave.> > · Hundreds of people crowding a boat which then > carried them out to the large Dobonsolo at anchor in > deeper water. Six thousand people tried to board the > Dobonsolo, but there was room for only 4,000. It is > the season of high waves and there are major concerns > for safety at sea after the sinking of the boat full > of 500 Christian refugees escaping from Northern > Maluku. Many of those trying to escape were women and > children. I saw one old lady being carried on by her > family while still lying down.> > · Many scenes of whole areas of Christian Ambon on> fire.> > · Film of a local market with no goods at all> available for sale.> > · Scenes of Christian buildings completely destroyed. > Amongst the debris at the Christian University a > wooden cross stood alone, unburned.> > · Refugees sheltering in a cement factory. giving > thanks to God for small quantities of food which had > just been delivered to them (paid for by a team I’m > working with). Almost all of these refugees were > women and children. We saw a two day old baby who had > been born in the factory. His parents had named him > “Immanuel” – God with us. A real statement of faith.> > What have we been able to do over the last week?> > · We have already sent money to trusted Christians in > Ambon to help those in the mountains. They have used > this to buy food at the very high prices now applying. > They also bought sleeping mats and towels to be used > as bedding for the young children sheltering in the > mountains. All of these goods had to be carried on > foot through the mountains to reach those in most> need.> > · We also sent money for those in places like the> cement factory above.> > Prayer needs.>> · That President Gus Dur and others in positions of > leadership may have the power to protect Christians as > they have publicly stated they want to do. The most > up to date recommendation of Christian leaders here is > that more International pressure on Gus Dur is likely > to be counter productive in terms of helping> Christians here.> > · That the Jihad Force may indeed by removed from > Ambon as military leaders are intending, and that they > might not then start fighting elsewhere. Local > Christian and Moslem leaders are meeting as I write to > try to make peace. With outside forces removed they > believe there is a real chance of peace.> > · That military leaders might be successful in their > bids to prevent members of their forces from taking> sides in the fighting.> > · That God will intervene to bring peace.> > · That we may be able to find a safe way to get help > to those in Ambon. We’re working on this literally > day and night and are now confident we can get aid in > with the help of the military.> > · That Christians around the world might feel moved to > send donations to help.>> · For the personal safety of individuals and groups > who are trying to help.>> Specific needs?> > · Estimates are that at least 20,000 people are hiding > in the mountains with little or no shelter and food. > Most of these are women and children who are > traumatised, afraid, hungry, wet and cold. They need > plastic sheets for shelter, bedding for the young > children to protect them from the elements, food and > medicines. They also plead for Bibles.> > · If nothing changes, all Christians in Ambon will > have run out of food and cooking fuel within a week or > so. We need to send aid now to arrive in time.> > · Large numbers of women and children want to be > evacuated from Ambon. They need large safe boats > with military to travel on and protection somewhere> to go.> > · While we are trying to get help to Christians > trapped in Ambon, I have also had two phone calls this > morning (27-7-00) from Christian groups we know well > pleading for funds to help refugees from Ambon who are > now in different parts of Indonesia. I simply do not > know if we will have sufficient funds to help them> too. > _________________________________________________>> *** PLEASE PASS IT ON ***> >
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