Two bombs rip through Ambon

President Megawati says the conflict is of a political not religious nature.

Amboina (AsiaNews) Six persons ended up suffering major injuries following an explosion on the island of Ambon, where a total of two bombs ripped through Christian and Muslim areas.

The Amboina Diocesan Crisis Center said that on the morning of May 23 a crude device exploded when a box of cookies was opened in the Christian village of Halong Baru, wounding six, two of whom are still in hospital being treated for serious conditions. A second bomb rocked the Muslim area of Batumerah. Yet no victims or damage have been reported in the second violent incident.

Barricades made from tires, rocks, bamboo and wood have been constructed to block access to the main roads of Christian and Muslim regions of the island. Hence to reach certain at-risk zones, where barricades have been torn down, the local population is forced to take long and complicated mountain routes for fear of being attacked. Thus many have no choice but to pay costly public transit fees along these high roads.

The day before the explosions, May 22, Indonesian president Megawati Sukarnoputri had gone to visit the island. Meeting with local political and religious leaders, Megawati renewed her commitment to root out the Moluccas Independence Front (FKM) separatist movement and its aims to establish the autonomous Republic of South Moluccas.

Megwati said one mustn't associate the separatist movement with the Christian population, since there are also Muslim members of the FKM organization. "The (fight for the) Republic of South Moluccas has nothing to do with religion. It is completely a political issue," the Indonesian president was quoted as saying.

Since Apr. 25 a new wave of violence has erupted among the region's Muslim and Christian communities. Thirty-eight people have lost their lives in the last 2 months or so.

In February of 2002 a peace agreement had been signed after 3 years of fighting that led to about 5000 people losing their lives and caused some 500,000 to flee the region as refugees.

At least 28,000 refugees are still waiting to return to their normal lives due to a lack of funds to pay for their return voyage and rebuild their destroyed homes.

According to Thaib Armaiyn, governor of North Moluccas, at least 70 billion rupies (about 6.7 million euro) are needed in order for the refugees to return. Many refugees accuse the government of ignoring their plight. (MR)