JP/7/Ambon

Ambon Christians to stage 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.