I MINISTERED TO MANY CHIRSTIANS IN THE AMBON AREA
BY WRITING A DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR THEM ABOUT 10
YEARS AGO. NOW IT FEELS LIKE I DIDN'T DO ENOUGH BUT
I TRUST SOME OF THE WORDS OF GOD WILL COME BACK TO
THE PEOPLE AND THEY WILL FIND THEIR STRENGTH IN
JESUS CHRIST.
CAROLE
URGENTLY NEEDED PRAYER FOR INDONESIA!!
This situation is CRITICAL!!
*******************
Press Release - 25 July 2000.
GENOCIDE IN INDONESIA
AMBON CHRISTIANS TOLD: GET OUT BY 31st OR DIE
"The terrible ordeal of Christians in Ambon looks set to end in their
complete
annihilation," says Dr
Patrick Sookhdeo, director of the Barnabas Fund, who is receiving daily
reports from sources in Ambon. "This is a case of religious cleansing
and
outright genocide, but the international community seems powerless to
act
as
thousands are slaughtered and hundreds of thousands face starvation."
The militant Islamic group Laskar Jihad have been announcing by
loudspeaker
their intention to
exterminate all Christians in Ambon, in Indonesia's Maluku province. A
deadline of 31 July was given for all Christians in Ambon city to
leave,
or be
killed. The militants are systematically cleansing area by area of
Christians,
ransacking and burning their homes. The plan appears to be to eliminate
the
coastal communities first, and then Ambon city itself. The Christians
are
retreating into "safe" areas, which are becoming daily fewer. An
estimated
90%
of Ambon city Christians have already fled their homes. Some are
staying
in
churches and offices, others with family or friends. Tens of
thousands -
mainly women and children - are sleeping rough in the jungle and hills,
most
without shelter or bedding. First-hand reports speak of children
sleeping
on
newspaper, or wrapped in a towel, because they have no blankets. Most
of
the
under-fives are now ill because of the harsh conditions. The main port
and
the
only functioning airport are under Islamic control, so Christians must
seek to
leave the island from other ports, such as Benteng. But few if any
ships
are
expected as militants in speedboats control the seas, sniping at other
seafarers. More than 15,000 Christians are reported to be huddled on
the
piers
of Halong naval base, hoping for a ship to come. Inadequately clothed
for
the
rainy season, they are wet, hungry, sick and terrified. Other
Christians
despair of finding safety anywhere and see no point in leaving Ambon,
thinking
they will be attacked wherever they go, including out at sea. "They
assess
the
risks of drowning as higher than the risks of being killed. What a
terrible
choice!" commented one reliable, on-the-ground source to the Barnabas
Fund.
Other reports describe Christians who are so traumatized by the
killings
and
destruction that they cannot make decisions but just sit and stare.
With
the
supply routes cut off, at least for Christian areas, the Ambonese
Christians
are trapped on their island without access to food or medicine.
A missionary source in Indonesia commented to the Barnabas Fund, "We
have
the
potential for a real tragedy in the next few days (by attack) or weeks
(by
starvation and terrible living conditions)." Up to 10,000 well armed
Laskar
Jihad militants have arrived in Maluku and North Maluku provinces since
May.
They are armed with mortars, bombs, and Indonesian army-issue carbines
and
rifles, and equipped with British-made armored cars. Defense Minister
Juwono
Sudarsono has admitted that elements of the army are fighting on the
side
of
Laskar Jihad. But President Abdurrahman Wahid refuses to allow the
deployment
of United Nations peacekeepers.
AMBONESE CHRISTIANS HAVE CALLED FOR A DAY OF PRAYER AND FASTING FOR THE
SITUATION ON SUNDAY 30 JULY.
Not only do they fear for themselves but for the whole Indonesian
Church.
If
Christians are eliminated from Ambon, seen as the heart of Indonesian
Christianity, the militants are expected to claim that there is no
place
for
Christians in Indonesia any more. "May we plead with you to PRAY and
PRAY
and
PRAY," writes a Christian in Ambon, "This is really urgent and
critical.
The
situation in Ambon is nearly fatal." There is an urgent need for
sleeping
mats, blankets, tarpaulins for shelter, kerosene stoves, rice, milk
powder
and
sugar for the Christian refugees. There are an estimated 150,000 in
Ambon
alone, and as many as 400,000 in Indonesia as a whole. The Barnabas
Fund
has
already sent almost $60,000. "Can you help us to send more?" asks
Barnabas
Fund's director, Patrick Sookhdeo. "I spoke today by telephone to a
Christian
in Indonesia who is trying to organize aid to Ambon. She was almost
crying
as
she expressed their desperation and despair, asking 'Who out there is
going to
help us?'"
Gifts can be sent to Dr Patrick Sookhdeo, C/O The Barnabas Fund New
Zealand
Administrative Office, P O Box 526, FEILDING, NEW ZEALAND 5600, Phone
(06)
323
3784, Credit card donations to 01672 564940 (this is U.K. number), and
cite
Barnabas Fund.
e-mail: bfund@globalnet.co.uk
Andrew Strom
Thunder Ministries,
PO Box 12-1022,
Henderson,
NEW ZEALAND.
|