Waiyame, the only village spared Ambon's violence

M. Azis Tunny, Ambon

Waiyame, Teluk Ambon Baguala subdistrict, looks different to the other villages in Maluku province that have experienced three years of religious fighting since early 1999.

The village, home to some 3,100 people, was not affected by the conflict that first broke out on Jan. 19, 1999, and instead, it saw Muslims and Christians living together in peace.

Also, when renewed violence erupted on April 25, 2004, for three consecutive days, triggered by an anniversary rally of the separatist Maluku Sovereignty Front (FKM), which is affiliated to the South Maluku Republic (RMS), Waiyame was the only village on Ambon island spared fresh rioting.

Darun Na'im mosque and Peniel church stand proud in the 33.2- hectare village, some 27 kilometers from Ambon city, even though the attacks spread to the neighboring villages of Wailete, Kemiri and Poka, leaving houses, schools, offices, places of worship and other public facilities damaged or set ablaze.

To Waiyame villagers the question always arose, "Does a religion allow its followers to kill people of another faith?" They seem to have taken to heart the peace principles contained in a popular Indonesian saying, "A loser becomes dust, a winner becomes charcoal".

This means there is no outright winner because the enemy is one's own brothers or sisters of different faiths. Both parties become victims in a religious war.

The peace that was restored in Maluku after the 2002 accord by establishing several neutral zones was torn apart again during the April 25 riots.

Currently, neutral zones have been reduced to only three -- Waiyame, the Maluku administration office and Ambon's Pattimura Airport. Almost all other areas are subject to clashes.

The only place in Ambon where residents can still sleep undisturbed at night is Waiyame, although it is home to both Christians and Muslims.

When the 1999 conflict erupted, all residents in Waiyame gathered at the village administrative office to monitor the situation.

Their Muslim and Christian leaders strove hard to prevent the conflict from affecting their village by maintaining coordination between themselves through regular meetings.

They set up a team of 20 Muslim and Christian figures to curb misleading rumors that could have provoked local residents into resorting to violence.

Rumormongers would be expelled from the village if they brought in negative information.

Calls for war drummed up from the Al-Fatah and Maranatha command posts were also countered so as not to antagonize residents in Waiyame.

"We only accept information that is good and peaceful in nature. Any provocative news is rejected. We don't want problems brought from outside into the village," said Waiyame village head Kanes Amanupunnjo, 34, who once chaired the team.

When tension engulfed most parts of Maluku, the Waiyame family command post -- which did not use a religious term as other posts did during the conflict -- stayed open 24 hours per day to gather and provide information.

Apart from the team's role, religious and community leaders also boosted morale via the mosque, church and other public places.

The strength of peace there was tested when the conflict escalated across Maluku, forcing community leaders to meet routinely and alternately in the mosque and church. Children, young people and the elderly also mingled there.

To give Christians in the village an assurance of peace, team leader Abdulrachman Marasabessy, 49, who represented the Muslim community, told a gathering at Peniel church after a Sunday mass that his members would not wage war against them.

In response, Christian leader Reverend Jhon Sahalessy pledged after Friday prayers in the Darun Na'im Mosque that his followers would not attack Muslims, either.

The pledges were witnessed by the entire community of Waiyame.

The village, comprising two hamlets, has a strategic location, for nearby are 10 oil refineries owned by state oil company Pertamina that supply fuel to Ambon and its surrounding areas. The village is about nine km from Pattimura Airport.

Besides that, the village is close to a military camp. However, local residents say the presence of Pertamina and the camp did not guarantee their safety during the conflict.

"That's not true. They weren't a determining factor for peace in Waiyame. The peaceful situation here is due to the determination of local residents not to be involved in the Ambon conflict," Kanes said.

As the largest supplier of fresh vegetables to Ambon, Waiyame teems with traders every morning who have bought vegetables for resale in Ambon.

At Waiyame traditional market, there is an absence of tension. Buyers are able to return to Ambon, taking their goods peacefully and without undue concern for their safety.

"The main thing is that we do business so we can eat. There is no need to be concerned about possible violence," said Mery Tahapari, an Ambon resident who once shopped in Waiyame.

According to Abdulrachman, the conflict was exploited by groups for personal gain at the expense of local people.

"There was a small group in Waiyame that tried to provoke violence. We later stamped on it quickly. We won't let crime flourish. If there are any motives, we will investigate them. We once expelled someone who tried to provoke residents to commit violence against others," he said.