Ambon Christians to hold mass prayers

Ambon Christians to hold mass prayers

Novi Pinontoan, The Jakarta Post, Ambon

Christians in strife-torn Ambon will stage three days of mass
prayers starting on Tuesday in response to a series of violence
which has claimed at least 10 lives and injured dozens others
this month.

"We regret the series of bloody incidents this month that
happened during a relatively calm period in Maluku. We do not
want this violence to ever happen again," Rev. Mailoa of Maluku
Synode Protestant Church said on Monday.

The peaceful prayers will involve thousands of people, urging
for unity and calm, he added.

After months of relative calm, Ambon was rocked by bloody
violence initiated by groups of armed rioters.

The first major incident took place on Nov. 3 in which gunmen
raided and occupied the predominantly Christian Waimulang village
in Seram islands, killing at least three villagers. At least
1,000 residents fled their village as rioters burned down some
150 houses in the area.

Later this month a spate of bombings and armed attacks
occurred in several parts of Ambon --including a speedboat
shooting on Teluk Ambon Baguala waters and a blast at an
electronics store in downtown Ambon-- which claimed at least
eight lives.

Also on Monday, National Police chief Gen. Surojo Bimantoro
visited Maluku Police Headquarters in Ambon and pledged Rp 500
million to continue the rebuilding of police base in Tantui.

The police base --consisting of a housing complex and clinics
-- was destroyed by rioters on June 29, 1999. At least 700 guns
and thousands of rounds of ammunition were looted by rioters who
broke into the police arsenal in Tantui.

A total of Rp 6 billion is needed to rebuild the police
complex.