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Report from Indonesia
IFC Director: Carl Cady
February 15, 2002
I want to thank all who have given their support and
prayers for the refugees here in Manado, Halmahera, and
Central Sulawesi. I have shared your concern and notes of
encouragement to the people.
Through many difficulties, we all arrived safely in Manado.
I am traveling with three engineers who are assisting with
various projects in the refugee and resettlement sites.
Bob Tsigonis (environmental engineer--specializing in wells
and septic project--also a member of Lifewater International),
Dan Holmgren (structural engineer--he is also a member of
Lifewater International and will be building a possible
water tower for the resettlement site) and Robin Rader (mechanical
engineer--this is his first trip but he will be greatly
needed on the pump issues at the resettlement site),
Our trip to Halmahera was canceled by the governor of North
Maluku. All permits were approved but he said he had to
remove two Afghanis recently and did not want a Christian
group so soon afterwards. When God closes a door, you have
to find the next open one.
We are now making plans to go to Central Sulawesi. Dr.
Jeff Hammond, Ian Freestone, and I will be meeting the Christian
Solidarity Worldwide investigative team in Palu. From there
we will travel into Poso and inspect some of the destruction
from the recent attacks. The engineer team will continue
to work on water supply issues for the refugees.
I was again taken back by the plight of these refugees.
The conditions are deteriorating in the camps and the concern
especially for the children is great. The following excerpts
provide an update on recent activities, conditions and testimonies.
Please continue to pray for the people of Indonesia.
- A Hole Only God Can Fill--A 20 year
old girl who lost 53 members of her family.
- Placed into The Care Of God--The
testimony of eyewitnesses to the martyrdom of Pastor Pattiasina
from the village of Lata Lata.
- Broken Promises to Broken People--The
broken promises to the refugees. You will want to read
this section to understand the plight of these broken
people.
- Fact Gathering--Maybe the World
Will Listen--A Divine appointment with two Christian Solidarity
Representatives.
- On A Hill Far Away--The joy of
providing life giving water. A report on the Tondono resettlement
camp water project.
- An Eye Opener--Praying my way through
the wards of the local hospital.
A Hole Only God Can Fill
It was a beautiful night on Manado's water front. This hot,
tropical (85 degrees F.) night was filled with music and
excitement. This was Saturday Night Alive, an open-air gospel
meeting put on by a local youth organization. The music
was upbeat and performed by very gifted young people. A
crowd of more than 500 stood in the darkness around the
stage area. They were enthusiastically participating in
the songs and dramas. Short term ministry teams were introduced--there
were three teams from Australia and ours from the US.
After the introductions the program continued. I was enjoying
the drama and music when I saw a young woman walking toward
me out of the darkness. She spoke softly as she asked me
my name. Her English was good and she sat down and engaged
me in conversation. Her name was Lelly. She hardly hesitated
as she told of her home of Ternate the capital of North
Maluku. She was only 20 years old but spoke with such poise
and clarity about the attacks her family endured only two
years earlier. Ternate was now a totally Muslim community.
All the churches are destroyed and most of the Christian
homes have been burned.
She said it was too dangerous to return home. Lelly was
living in the Kairagi refugee center with the surviving
members of her family. She described how 53 members of her
family were killed by the Jihad terrorists. I had to ask
her to repeat the number because I could hardly comprehend
that one family could lose so many. But I heard it right
the first time. Brothers, Aunts, Uncles, Sisters, Grandparents
all slain--53 from one family. Lelly was telling me about
a huge hole she had in her heart. How she missed many members
of her family. She got up after our time and walked back
into the crowd as quietly as she had come. Lelly took a
risk that night--to let someone she had never met know about
the deep hole in her heart. Lelly took the risk of being
rejected or misunderstood. I was able to assure her of God's
concern. She can find a touch from God to mend her broken
heart. Please pray with me for her and the many broken hearted
in Indonesia.
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Placed Into the Care
of God
Lata Lata was a village of nearly 1,800 people, in the North
Maluku region in West Indonesia. The brutal attack by a
large force of Jihad terrorists on May 2, 2000 was a day
remembered well by the survivors. The leaders of the village
estimated that the combined forces of the jihad militia
and the military totaled about 5,000. There were 67 killed
in the attack as the jihad came out of the mountains in
a surprise attack. Those that were killed consisted of many
woman, children, and even some pregnant woman. The Christians
of Lata Lata fled into the jungle to seek refuge, where
they remained for two weeks. A few ventured out to get food
and were captured and told to return to the jungle and send
the Pastor and elders out or they all would be killed. The
jihad soldiers had searched for Pastor Pattiasina for two
weeks and could not find him. Pastor Pattiasina was told
that he could save the lives of the villagers by surrendering
to the Military leader. This man of God prayed about it
and then prayed over the people of the village. He prayed
that they would be placed into the care of God. He then
bravely walked out of the jungle with his four elders and
about 100 other men from the village. This dear man and
these four church leaders were bound with their hands behind
there backs after the local Head of the District and the
Chief of the Military turned them over to the jihad militia.
They were then beheaded. This was witnessed by the 100 others
from the village. They were then told they have three days
to choose to convert to Islam or be killed. The 1,700 village
survivors were now faced with a life and death choice. After
three days they chose to surrender to save the lives of
the woman and children. The military offered no protection,
and they felt they had no choice. After they came out of
the jungle the leader of the village was taken out on a
boat in front of his people. He was told he had 30 minutes
to make the declaration of their fate. He was humiliated
and shamed in front of the entire village. He surrendered
them into Islam. They were circumcised and were forced to
go through an elaborate cleansing ceremony. They were now
Muslim but they were not free to come and go. They were
captive in their own village.
There is a bright side to the story. After over 18 months
of captivity the entire village was rescued. They all escaped
and are now in another area on Halmahera starting their
lives over. IFC has been providing some food and other relief
for the people of Lata Lata. There are approximately 6,000
additional Christians who are being held against their will
in various places in North Maluku. Please pray for these
captive ones--that the Lord will provide a way of escape.
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Broken Promises to
Broken People
The conditions in the camps in North Sulawesi have deteriorated
dramatically since the minimal government aid has ceased.
As of December 31, 2001 all food and other support from
the government has stopped. There were 47,000 refugees in
North Sulawesi before January 1, 2002 and now after that
date there are no refugees. They are still here--they are
still in great need--they still cannot be assured of their
safety if they go home. They have been abandoned again.
They have fled for their lives from the horrific attacks
on their villages and now they are abandoned again, this
time in a more sophisticated way. They are "officially"
no longer a refugee. These no-longer-refugee refugees are
again left to their own for survival. They are no closer
to returning home. They have had promises of aid but the
aid never made materialized. Their hopes are dashed time
and time again. Another promise, another broken promise.
Those promising to supply support for a return to their
villages are the same ones who broke the previous promises.
The skepticism among the refugees is high and camp leaders
are worried for the children and many who are greatly discouraged.
I was in one of those camps last night. I challenged them
to be true to the Lord and keep a good testimony.
We met with the Camp Coordinators from two of the large
camps in Manado. Demi Talahatu and Notje Br. Hady are respected
men and are genuinely caring for the welfare of their camps.
The following are facts they shared at a recent meeting.
- Most of the refugees would go home if their security
could be guaranteed.
- 50 % of the promised aid while here in Manado has not
been provided.
- One child has died of malnutrition in the Kairagi camp
last month
- They were told by North Maluku officials it was peaceful
and it was time to return home. They were then told by
North Maluku Parliament members that it was not safe.
- A few Christians have returned only to find that their
homes are occupied by Muslims. Some of their homes have
been burned down and new homes were built over the foundations
of their homes.
Demi Talahatu said in one place he know there was a Christian
graveyard dug up and homes built over it. He said these
were the graves of our ancestors and loved ones.
- Islamic law is instituted in several locations in North
Maluku. In these locations woman are required to wear
the veil.
- Notje Br. Hady said that in the village Morotai the
Christian owned land has been proposed as a transmigration
site for Madarese Muslims from Sampit in Kalimantan. They
want to bring 600 families to live on the Christian's
land.
- In Ternate I.D. cards do not have a choice for Christian.
This is important because it shows who the targets of
the persecution are.
- According to the North Maluku Government, Christian
refugees that go back to North Maluku are to consider
themselves as new arrivals and they will have to provide
for their own security.
The following are the conditions of return to North Maluku
given by these camp leaders.
1. Guarantee the right to work.
2. Guarantee of security.
3. Guarantee access to health services.
4. Guarantee educational opportunities.
5. Guarantee religious freedom.
These leaders are very reluctant to trust the government
and believe that a U.N. Security force is necessary to insure
their safety. They stated that as long as the jihad forces
are in the area they could rise up against them and attacks
would begin again. They have not seen any signs of good
intentions and assertive action by the government. Demi
said the government could build their churches as a first
step to prove the future is hopeful for them.
There are about 600,000 refugees from Maluku and North Maluku.
The problems are complicated and the trust level is very
low. These people have been through such great losses and
now they are facing some hard choices. Please remember them.
Food needs in these camps is critical. IFC is the only organization
present now. If you feel led, please send support for the
basic needs of these refugees.
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Fact Gathering--Maybe
the World Will Listen
Joanna Milosz, a researcher and advocate working for Christian
Solidarity Worldwide, and Dr. A.L.G. Peel of World Journal
of Surgery were visiting Manado. The IFC team met with them
and provided an overview of the crisis. They spent two hours
interviewing eyewitnesses and victims of atrocities in North
Maluku. Christian Solidarity Worldwide can provide the international
pressure needed to investigate the claims of human rights
violations. Joanna will have her hands full--there are literally
tens of thousands of horrific violations. Lord, we pray
that you will use these two to document the cases of forced
circumcisions, murders, mutilations, forced Islamization,
rapes, abductions, and destruction of property.
On a personal note--I want the stories that testify to the
horror forced upon these Christians over the last three
years to be made know to the world. I know the reality of
the stories of attacks and murders is almost unbelievable.
They are shocking and many people, even Christians, find
it hard to believe them. I have had some say--we have not
heard anything about this on the news. The secular media
does not seem interested or committed to report on the Christian
persecution. The situation in Sudan exemplifies the lack
of international secular news coverage. They have a different
agenda. IFC's staff is represented very well in many of
the volatile areas of Indonesia. We have been in areas before,
during, and after the conflicts. We are committed and willing
to make the necessary risks to provide relief and hope for
the victims of attacks here in Indonesia. Many of the stories
and facts that come from IFC are days and even weeks from
some media sources. We deal in first hand accounts. Please
pray for the truth about this conflict to rise to a prominent
international level. Who knows--maybe the world will listen.
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On A Hill Far Away
The hill I'm referencing is not Calvary but the resettlement
site in the hills of North Sulawesi. Bob, Dan and Robin
(members of the US team) are staying near the resettlement
site. They have inspected the present water supply and have
decided to modify and extend the supply line. Their hope
is to provide water into the main home sites. The supplies
have been purchased and delivered today. The engineers have
spent a lot of time using a GPS to get elevations and distances
from the main points on this hill site. They have some great
looking charts.
It is such a blessing to be able to provide the water to
these Christians. As we trudged up the jungle trail to the
upper resettlement site we passed woman and children carrying
water jugs. Some were just small children. We watched them
make a number of trips up and down they went. They were
burden bearers as they paraded with their water jars full
going up and empty coming down.
We selected another water project to fund unto completion.
This refugee site--about a kilometer from the main hill
site--has had some well drilling attempts. They all failed
because the ground is full of large boulders. The alternative
solution was to pump water from a public source and provide
water under pressure for the homes at this location. There
are growing concerns and needs in the refugee sites--a bad
case of Malaria, a number of children have skin disorders-and
our goal is to relieve burdens.
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An Eye Opener
Today, I was invited to go to the local public hospital
to see a young man who was taken to the hospital by one
of the IFC staff nurses. It was an eye opener!!! We went
to the ICU. I turned and entered his room. I scanned the
room and saw every eye in the room on us. All eight beds
in the room were occupied. There were no clean sheets, no
monitors or I.V. stands, and no privacy at all. The walls
were filthy and the sick had family members caring for them.
They brought their loved ones food and tended to the basic
needs. A mother lovingly cared for her son who was in some
kind of traction after an automobile accident. Another young
mother nursed an infant while her three year old lay in
bed from injuries after being hit by a car. This young man
we were visiting had a serious infection on his upper leg.
We asked to pray for the young man and after praying for
him everyone in that room wanted prayer. Then a woman from
another room came in and asked us to pray for her son. We
went to that room and found another eight patients with
eight more requests to pray. It was what the Lord would
do--He never turned away a seeking heart. I saw the looks
in the eyes of these desperate people. It touched me--it
must have been something like that that moved the heart
of the Lord in compassion to heal the lame and the sick.
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