Waiyame, the only village spared Ambon's violence

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.