Christians in Ambon visit abandoned graves<\/p>\n
M. Azis Tunny
\nThe Jakarta Post\/Ambon<\/p>\n
In the six years since the sectarian conflict broke out in Ambon,
\nMaluku province, in 1999, the members of the Lopulalan family
\nhave never paid a visit to the grave of their mother, Wihelmina
\nLopulalan, who is buried in a Muslim area.<\/p>\n
Ely Lopulalan, a Christian, said that since the eruption of
\nthe conflict, which resulted in the Muslims and Christians living
\nin separate areas, she had never visited her mother's grave in
\nKebun Cengkih cemetery in Batumerah village due to fears for her
\nsafety.<\/p>\n
Against the backdrop of the improving security situation in
\nAmbon, she has finally been able to visit and clean her mother's
\ngrave with her children and nieces.<\/p>\n
\"We can visit the grave this year, finally,\" she told The
\nJakarta Post on Saturday. \"The situation in other years was too
\ndangerous for us to go,\"<\/p>\n
The Batu Cengkih cemetery in Batumerah village was opened as a
\ncemetery for Christians since 1986, and contains thousands of
\ngraves. Next to the Christian cemetery, separated by a 10-meter-
\nwide ravine, is a Muslim cemetery.<\/p>\n
Just like in another places, it is a tradition in Ambon for
\nMuslims and Christians to visit the graves of their deceased
\nrelatives ahead of Idul Fitri or Christmas.<\/p>\n
But the conflict has resulted in the Kebun Cengkih cemetery
\nreverting to nature. It is now abandoned and overgrown.<\/p>\n
Frans Mahudin, 57, said that this year marked the first time
\nhe had visited his mother's grave since the outbreak of the
\nconflict and it took him over an hour to find the right grave.<\/p>\n
\"When I got here, I was confused. I couldn't find my mother's
\ngrave,\" said Frans.<\/p>\n
Before the conflict erupted, he visited the grave three times
\na year. \"It's been my habit to visit my mother's grave before
\ncelebrating Christmas. I hope that with Ambon safer now, I can
\nvisit the grave more often,\" he said.<\/p>\n
During the conflict, which claimed many hundreds of lives,
\neven cemeteries were not free from being targeted. Religious
\nsymbols, like the crucifixes found in Christian cemeteries, or
\nArabic symbols found in Muslim cemeteries, were destroyed.<\/p>\n
Syauta, who came to clean up her father's grave this year, was
\nglad to seen that it was not too badly overgrown.<\/p>\n
\"This is the first time I've come to the grave since 1999 and
\nI'm really happy to see that it's fine,\" she said.<\/p>",
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