ASIA/INDONESIA - “Local Church works to defeat terrorism in the Moluccas”, says Fr Carl Bohm in Amboina diocese

Ambon (Fides Service) - “Catholics in Moluccas are committed to promoting harmony and reconciliation and making sure terrorism is defeated”, Fr Carl Bohm, in Amboina diocese told Fides.
“Life in Ambon - said Fr. Carl - is back to normal after bomb blasts on 25 August in the market had caused fresh panic and fear. The perpetrators have not been identified. Military and civil sources say the bombs were the work of individuals or groups anxious to plunge the Moluccas back into disorder, instability and conflict. But the people, whether Muslims or Christians, should not fall into the trap. Rumours of the presence of terrorists in Moluccas have not been confirmed. We must carry on with the work of civil and moral rebuilding to consolidate social and religious harmony”.
“The local Catholic community, thanks to Bishop Petrus Mandagi, is on excellent terms with both Protestants and Muslims. The community is also very present and visible in works of solidarity. At the moment we are helping to build new homes for families whose homes were destroyed in the years of civil strife”.
In the meantime in the capital Ambon preparations are underway to celebrate the city’s 430 anniversary. Various initiatives have been organised to promote an exchange of experience and build bonds of friendship and harmony among the different communities in the capital. Public anniversary celebrations will be attended by civil and religoius authorities.
A serious problem in the Moluccas today is the sitaution of people who fled civil strife in 1999-2002 and have now returned to pick up the threads of life in Ambon. The local government is finding it difficult to provide them with lodging and work also because the city is still divided into Christian and Muslim districts.
In the meantime Amboina Diocesan Crisi Centre warns that conditions of the homeless are deteriorating. In refugee camps around Ambon life is increasingly difficult with 60,000 people living below the poveert line, sad heritage of the years of war spreading malnutrition among children and precarious sanitation.
(PA) (Agenzia Fides 12/9/2005 righe 33 parole 364)