Christian, Muslim women promote peace in Maluku

Christian, Muslim women promote peace in Maluku

Oktavianus Pinontoan, The Jakarta Post, Maluku

It is virtually unimaginable to many people in Ambon, or in
Maluku province in general, that amid the escalating sectarian
conflict, which has claimed thousands of lives and inflicted
billions of rupiah in material losses, there is still a group of
Muslim and Christian women with a keen sense of humanity and a
desire for peace.

This group calls itself Gerakan Perempuan Peduli Maluku (the
Women's Movement that Cares for Maluku - GPP Maluku), a loose
organization set up in August 1999 at the initiative of Sister
Fransesco Mus. GPP aims to bring together Christian women so that
they can join forces to help women and children in Maluku, who
have lost nearly everything: their schooling, their childhood,
their parents, their husbands and their villages.

GPP was set up as a moral, apolitical, movement and is
therefore not in the format of a foundation. It is a non-profit
organization and has no representative office. The women
associated with GPP have their meetings at different places: the
office of the governor of Maluku, the residence of the governor,
the office of a mayor, the army compound of air-borne infantry
battalion 733/BS and several other locations.

"We held our first meeting at Rinamakana building and it was
here that we decided to stop all the violence and the conflicts.
As we realized this goal could not be achieved only by depending
on Christian women, we contacted several Muslim women through
Aisyah Latuconsina (the wife of Governor Saleh Latuconsina) and
Paula B. Renyaan, deputy governor in charge of public welfare,"
(Sister) Brigitta Renyaan said recounting how GPP came into
being.

Several Muslim women agreed to join GPP Maluku. However, they
could not do so openly. At first they held meetings in secret.
When GPP Maluku began its job, it faced strong opposition from
Christian and Muslim youths. "Abusive words were used against us
while the house of Leila Suad narrowly escaped a bomb blast,"
said Rev. Etta Hendriks.

Despite these challenges, the spirit to cease all forms of
violence and conflict was not dampened. Official action of GPP
Maluku began on Sept. 4, 1999. They voiced the conscience of
women before Maluku governor, the commander of Pattimura Military
Regional Command Brig. Gen. Max Tamaela and the then chief of
Maluku Provincial Police Col. Bugis Saman.

This action was aimed at urging the authorities to immediately
stop all forms of violence and conflict in Maluku. The group
distributed cloth pamphlets reading "Stop violence and conflicts"
to the community and also in border areas, then highly prone to
the outbreak of sectarian conflicts. "Ibu Aisyah Latuconsina
happened to have the cloth and she gave it to us," said Sister
Renyaan.

After this, GPP Maluku changed its target and conducted
special training for Christian and Muslim married women. In their
observation, many children of the two conflicting camps were
involved in the conflicts because their parents, particularly
their mothers, neither prohibited them from doing so nor paid
special attention to them. "We hope the training can enable the
women to make their children realize that it is no use being
involved in the conflicts," said Retty Assegaf, the coordinator
of GPP Maluku for the Muslim community.

Meanwhile, Leila Suad, who is actively involved in
humanitarian activities amid the conflicts, said the women and
children in Maluku had become victims in a game played by adults,
particularly males. "Ordinary people have become victims so we
must bring all parties to their senses," she noted.

Other active members of GPP Maluku within the Muslim community
include Syul Latuconsina, Thun Latuconsina and Ema Tatuhey. From
the Catholic community, activists include Etty Dumatubun, Oly and
Tety Soukota. From the Protestant community, those who are active
are, among others, Senda Titaley, Etta Hendriks and C. Saimima.

Slowly but surely, GPP Maluku has made itself known to the
wider community. Their campaign to stop the violence and
conflicts is echoing everywhere. They have not only made an
appeal but have also visited the camps for displaced people,
organized workshops on trauma counseling and undertaken
activities involving the children of the Christian and Muslim
communities. They have also approached Catholic and Protestant
priests, Muslim teachers and clerics.

However, challenges have come and gone following the rise and
decline of tensions. Still, for Sister Renyaan, these challenges
have even inflamed her spirit further. "Jesus faced challenges,
let alone human beings," she said, proudly.

Therefore, GPP Maluku has never stopped voicing its appeal to
stop violence and conflicts although many of its members have
fallen victim to snipers. GPP Maluku has lodged a protest, saying
that they are not fighting in the interests of any community and
that they will help victims of the conflict regardless of their
religion.

"When snipers were on a shooting spree in downtown Ambon, we
met the then chief of staff of general affairs of the Indonesian
Military Lt. Gen. Suaidi Marasabessy and asked that Indonesian
Military find the snipers. We have faced a lot of challenges but
we have never retreated in the pursuit of our goal. On the
contrary, our spirit has been even further inflamed," stressed
Sister Renyaan (45), who is attached to the Amboina Diocese.

She said she had to be consistent in the struggle to stop
violence and to fight for the rights of children and women amid
conflicts. "I say right to what is right and wrong to what is
wrong. I am ready to risk being expelled from the diocese or even
to die. I'm prepared to fight for the truth," she stressed.

"Women must do something to stop the conflict," said Etta
Hendriks (50), who has a PhD in Christian Philosophy and is one
of the chairpersons of the central board of the Indonesian
Communion of Churches (PGI) and a lecturer at the Indonesian
Christian University (UKI) of Maluku.

She further said that she was shocked to find that the
conflicts had claimed so many lives and that more and more people
had become deeply involved in these conflicts. "Nearly all people
in Maluku, including children, have been provoked. That's why we
must unite to get out of this misery and violence," she said.

However, things are easier said than done. Although the
Christians, in her view, are more moderate, Christian members of
GPP Maluku have also been criticized by fellow Christians. "The
challenges have particularly come from young males or the
grassroots. We understand their emotions but violence cannot be
stopped with violence. Only peace and continued campaigns can
stop violence," she added.

That's why GPP Maluku has never blamed any party. Instead, it
has urged that the government stop the conflicts. "Praise the
Lord, after four years of struggling for peace amid conflicts,
peace is now in sight. This is the fruit of hard work of all
parties."

Although the situation is now improving, she said, some people
are still traumatized and mutual suspicion still lingers.
Therefore, GPP Maluku will continue doing various activities to
achieve peace, for example by joining a joint breaking of the
fast meal even with the women who used to oppose GPP Maluku
before such as those in Wayame, Teluk Ambon Baguala district.

"The government must maintain the present situation. The
people are tired of conflict. The program of psychological and
physical rehabilitation must continue to be implemented and the
return of displaced people to their home villages must already be
considered now," she stressed.