Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Ambon (Agenzia Fides) - Christian and Muslim Volunteers of the "Moluccas Interfaith Institute" and the youth group "Ambon Bergerak" have led and continue to conduct a "peace campaign" with text messages, internet forums, networks, blogs and social media such as Facebook and Tweeter to be, as they themselves say, "provocateurs of peace". The objective, informs sources of Fides in Ambon, is "to tell the truth" and to controvert "the provocateurs of conflict" who incite violence by spreading false news like (setting fire to mosques), to trigger the spiral of violence. Their work, says His Exc. Mgr. Petrus Canisius Mandagi, Bishop of Ambon to Fides, "is precious because with such means it reaches especially young people and has a positive influence on the population". Confirming the importance of "social media", the Indonesian government, in past days, closed over 300 websites and blogs of Islamic radicals, propagators of hate and violence.
According to the Bishop of Ambon if, after the fighting which took place a month ago, a new "holy war"- along the lines of what inflamed the "spice islands" in the years 1999-2002 did not break out on the Moluccas islands- "the merit goes especially to those Muslims, people of good will who rejected the jihad appeals, launched by radical Islamic groups that promote intolerance and conflict". The Bishop explains to Fides that "there was a joint and immediate effort on behalf of civil authorities, police, religious leaders to stop the provocateurs and to avoid the situation from degenerating. It seems that this effort has been successful". The "Sirens of the holy war" and "appeals to violence by radical groups (see Fides 21/09/2011) were carried out and may continue", notes the Bishop. But "Muslims in Ambon did not listen to them, and even Christians committed themselves to avoid conflict to spread". "In this delicate context – continues Mgr. Mandagi - the role of religious leaders has been instrumental in explaining to the faithful of both religions, how important it was to defend peace and harmony in the face of those who want to create chaos for political purposes".
The Bishop recalls that Ambon is still divided in a Christian and a Muslim area, a hereditary of the war years, but there are still exchanges and relations, human and commercial between the two areas. "Mutual trust should be rebuilt gradually. We Catholics want to contribute, day by day, to building a social fabric made up of dialogue, respect, friendship, brotherhood, to ensure a future of peace and development to the new generations".
In early September the suspicious death of a Muslim driver, which took place in the Christian area of Ambon, created clashes between Muslims and Christians, instigated by false text messages. Two days of violence caused seven deaths and dozens were injured, while over 150 houses, divided between the two communities were burned to the ground. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 07/10/2011)
