Stop the suffering of the Malukus
Stop the suffering of the Malukus
Religious cleansing in the Maluku islands is now in full view of the world -- and so too is Jakarta's inability to stop it. Instead of saying it is an internal matter, Jakarta must accept foreign help in resolving what could become one of the world's worst crimes against humanity.
Sectarian violence in Indonesia's Maluku islands was hidden from the world's view until this last year. In this small island chain, 2,400 distant kilometers from Jakarta, the odd skirmish was never of great consequence. Ever since 1950, when the Christians first battled Indonesian troops in a bid to secede from the predominantly Muslim nation, sporadic fist-fights along religious lines have been tolerated.
The Malukus have become unbearable for Christians. Last week Ambon's Roman Catholic Bishop Petrus Canisius Mandagi and two Protestant pastors left for Geneva to seek help from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. Jos Tethool, the Roman Catholic auxiliary bishop left in Ambon, sent a plea to any other nation in the world to help evacuate the Christians.
Also last week, the European parliament endorsed a call for possible intervention but Jakarta strongly criticized the move, saying foreign intervention is not welcome. Admittedly it was Jakarta's decision to send thousands of Muslim migrants to the Malukus and Jakarta must deal with the consequences. But the Indonesian army has had no success in keeping the warring parties apart and neither has a declaration of a civil emergency in the islands on June 28.
The world cannot stand by and allow thousands of Christians to perish, especially now they are pleading for their help. Unlike in the 1950s, the Malukus are now of great consequence with the world viewing it as another potential Kosovo. Jakarta must accept foreign offers of help for the sake of humanity and to avert accusations of supporting Muslims commit one of the largest annihilations of another religious group the world has ever recorded.
-- The Bangkok Post