Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Jakarta (Agenzia Fides) - The radical Islamic group "Front Pembela Islam," FPI has announced that it "is ready to send militia to fight a holy war against Christians in the Moluccas" as refered by Fides sources in the Indonesian Christian community, an official statement of FPI urges Muslims in Ambon to "wake up" and promises all necessary support, such as "new soldiers for the jihad". Ten days ago Ambon, capital of the Maluku islands (the Indonesian archipelago in the East) was rocked by clashes between Christians and Muslims, triggered by provocateurs after a car accident in which a Muslim man was the victim (see Fides 12 and 13/9/2011).
The inter-religious tension - explain sources of Fides – represents today an opportunity for those who want to fuel the conflict. The Secretary General of FPI, Muhammad Shabri Lubis, said: "We invited all FPI activists around the country, to get ready to go to Ambon to defend the Muslims and to defend their homeland". The Front also announced that soon it will "open up a command post in Ambon", and some "humanitarian shelters for refugees", ensuring full solidarity with the Muslims of the island. Hence the appeal to "support the financial, logistics and medical needs of the Muslims in Ambon" and to "pray for the oppressed brothers".
The appeal on behalf of FPI - which is fueling the extremist religious conflicts especially in Java, in the suburbs of the metropolis Jakarta – is worrying the Indonesian Christians in the Moluccas and in the capital. "The risk - a source of Fides explains - is that the religious war in the Moluccas is fueled by external forces, which have their own agenda, just as what happened in the conflict a decade ago". Currently the situation in Ambon is peaceful and relatively stable, but tension remains high. Fides sources report that the Christian church of Shiloh, on the border between the Christian and Muslim area, have started the liturgical celebrations again, although there remains a large deployment of police forces on the island, including the protection of places of worship. Religious leaders, Christians and Muslims, continue to work to maintain social and religious peace. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 21/09/2011)
