Deserted Ambon homes targeted for phone abuse
Deserted Ambon homes targeted for phone abuse
JAKARTA (JP): Many Ambon residents whose properties were
burned or damaged in the two months of unrest in the Maluku
capital now find themselves with the additional burden of hefty
phone bills from misuse by others.
Fitri, whose house in the Silale area was burned down by
rioters in January, was shocked when state-owned
telecommunications firm PT Telkom billed her for Rp 8 million
(US$888) instead of the usual Rp 200,000 the previous month.
"I went to Telkom to meet my responsibilities although my
house was burned. But I was shocked by the amount," she told
Antara.
The news agency describe how people were able to use the
telephone cables in abandoned buildings to make calls after
Telkom failed to cut the lines.
Many of the 15,000 people who fled Ambon overlooked the need
to block their lines.
Telkom expressed little sympathy for the owners.
"They are still obliged to pay," said the head of the city
Telkom office Daud Kastanya.
Meanwhile, Indonesian Council of Ulemas (MUI) secretary-
general Ikhwan Syam and the Communion of Churches in Indonesia
(MUI) secretary-general J.M. Pattiasina have jointly urged
communities in Maluku to stop denouncing each other. They agreed
violence in the province would continue unless there was more
respect for different faiths.
"We do not need to condemn and blame each other, but let us
ask ourselves what we can do to resolve the conflicts," said
Ikhwan and Pattiasina in a statement, as reported by Antara on
Wednesday.
The two leaders visited Ambon to witness the departure of 240
people to Buru and Seram islands in Central Maluku in the
transmigration program.
"Hatred and revenge will not solve our problem," they said.
Ikhwan said the council was under fire for its consistent
refusal to declare a jihad to defend Muslims in Maluku.
He warned of greater danger if the demand for a holy war was
met in an outburst of emotion.
"Violence cannot be resolved with violence," Pattiasina added.
In Jakarta, at least 1,000 senior high school students grouped
in the Indonesian Muslim Students United Actions staged a
peaceful rally at the National Monument (Monas) park on
Wednesday, condemning the killing of Muslims in Ambon.
Dressed in their school uniforms and unfurling posters and
banners, the students marched from the organization's office in
Menteng, Central Jakarta, to the park, located near the
presidential palace.
The students demanded President B.J. Habibie, Armed Forces
chief Gen. Wiranto and National Police chief Gen. Roesmanhadi
end the violence before the Muslim Idul Adha day of sacrifice
which falls on March 28.
The students submitted their statement to one of the palace
guards after they were not allowed to move closer to the palace.
In Purwokerto, Central Java, local military chief Col. M. Noer
Muis appealed to Muslims in the regency not to be provoked by
fliers distributed by irresponsible parties. The documents called
on them to prepare for a battle against Christians who killed
Muslims in Maluku.
"The purpose of the fliers is merely to incite a conflict
between Muslims and Christians," the colonel said.
In Yogyakarta, sociologist Cornelis Lay warned that the danger
of prolonged hostilities in Maluku could spill over to an
individual level.
"The fall of a victim in one village will provoke revenge from
residents of other villagers," Cornelis said on Wednesday.
(jun/44/45/43/prb)