The situation in the Moluccas is deteriorating rapidly. Jihad militants
have attacked Christian communities and have reportedly burned
over 100 houses in Ambon city alone in the last 3-4 days.

Due to the grave situation in the Moluccas, the Christian community sent an inter-church human rights delegation, hosted by Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), to Brussels and UK to brief parliamentarians, government officials, church leaders and the press concerning the worsening situation.

The delegation, which included Moderators of the Protestant Church in Maluku and the Catholic Bishop of Moluccas, met with members of the European Parliament and the European Commission in Brussels. In the UK, they also met with parliamentarians and representatives of the Foreign and CommonWealth office.

The delegation also addressed an emergency meeting of representatives of Christian denominations in UK.

Whilst in Europe, the members of the delegation received daily news of
renewed attacks by Jihad militants, backed by elements in the armed forces, in Ambon City.

Threatened areas included reportedly Batu Meja, Manggadua and Urimesing, incorporating the homes of the Governor of Moluccas and of Rev. Sammy Titaley, a member of the delegation.

These attacks have continued in spite of the institution of a state of civil emergency demonstrating that the Indonesian government is unable to contain the violence and to prevent attacks by the thousands of militants currently in the islands.

Ironically the civil emergency status has also prevented members of the international community from visiting the area, allowing the militants, and elements of the armed forces supporting them, to act with impunity.

Christians have fled to the jungles and the hills, pursued by the Jihad militants. They have nowhere else to flee. The conditions are extremely harsh and there are no international humanitarian agencies operating in the area.

The Moluccans believe that the European Union and the individual
member state governments have a key role to play in bringing a peaceful resolution to the conflict. During a parliamentary briefing this week, chaired by the President of CSW, Baroness Cox, members of the
delegation issued the following emergency appeal to the European Union.

The Moluccan Church leaders are appealing to the Presidency of the
European Union and the President of the European Parliament in
particular for the immediate evacuation of refugees to a safer location in Indonesia; the opening of an emergency humanitarian aid corridor to
allow safe delivery of humanitarian aid and assistance to Christian and
Muslim communities in the Moluccas; an emergency European
delegation to be sent to the area; and the immediate removal of all Jihad militants from the Moluccas.

CSW has repeatedly raised concerns regarding the role of provocateurs/Jihad warriors in escalating the sectarian conflict and has mobilised parliamentarians and Christians to urge the Indonesian authorities to take effective measures to bring an end to this tragic conflict (see CSW press releases 8.5, 19.5. and 26.5.2000)

For further information, photos and/or video footage of some of the latest attacks plus arrangements for interviews, please call CSW on tel/fax: +44 208 942 8810/942 8821 or +44 - 7989 671 175.

EMERGENCY APPEAL - STOP THE VIOLENCE
FROM THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY IN THE
MOLUCCAS

We, the undersigned, representing the Christian
community in the Moluccas appeal to the
European Union for urgent assistance and
intervention on behalf of the peaceable
Christians and Muslims in the Moluccas.

Over 4000 people have been killed and 350,000
have been displaced during this tragic conflict.
Moluccas, once a showcase of religious harmony in
Indonesia, now lies in ruins.

This conflict did not originate in the Moluccas. It was
brought to us by provocateurs acting on behalf of
political and extremist elements in Indonesia. There
are an estimated 7000 jihad warriors converging on
Moluccas. These Muslim militants have attacked
Christian villages and town districts with little or not
interference from the armed forces. On the contrary,
elements in the armed forces have actively
participated in the attack as evidenced in the June
massacre in Duma village in which 156 Christians
were killed.

Whilst we strongly support President Wahid and the
Indonesian government and the democratisation
process the government has embarked on, the
government appears unable to stop the violence and
guarantee the safety and security of the Christian
community in particular.

The situation has rapidly deteriorated despite the
institution of a state of civil emergency and a travel
ban imposed by the government. The absence of
international observers and monitors on the ground
allows the militants and compromised elements of the
armed forces to act with impunity.

The majority of the Christians have fled to the hills and
mountains pursued by the militants. They have
nowhere else to flee. The conditions are extremely
harsh and the refugees have little food or medicine.

Therefore we urge the European Union:

To send an emergency delegation from the
European Union to undertake an impartial
investigation into the situation.

To ask the Indonesian government to allow
an immediate fact-finding visit to the
Moluccas.

To urge the Indonesian government to open
an emergency humanitarian aid corridor and
to allow unrestricted access for humanitarian
agencies in the area.

To facilitate the emergency evacuation of
refugees, particularly women and children,
currently hiding in the hills and jungles to a
safer location and to allocate emergency
relief assistance.

To ask the Indonesian government to take the
strongest possible measures to ensure that
the jihad militants responsible for the latest
spate of violence are removed from the
Moluccas and that this conflict is brought to
an end.

To encourage the Indonesian government to
take immediate measures to investigate,
identify and prosecute those responsible for
provocation of the conflict.

If the international community does not take
immediate action then the tragic conflict in the
Moluccas will result in the complete destruction of the
peaceful Christian and Muslim communities in the
Moluccas.

We hope that you will give this situation your urgent
consideration.

Yours sincerely



Monsignor Petrus Mandagi Rev. Sammy Titaley
Bishop of Amboina Moderator of the Protestant
Church of Maluku

Rev. Agustinus Aesh
Moderator of the Evangelical Church in Halmahera
July 17, 2000