Call to prayer - Ambon

On May 20 the President of the national Assembly of the Uniting Church in Australia, the Rev. Dr Dean Drayton, called on the church to pray for the critical situation in Ambon.

Dr I. W. J. Hendriks, the Moderator of the Uniting Church's partner church, the Protestant Church of Maluku, had asked the Uniting Church to pray for the situation in Ambon and the Moluccas, Dr Drayton said.

"On April 25 in Ambon, the capital of the province, violence was reignited after a demonstration by a group seeking independence from Indonesia. The city of Ambon separated into a series of Christian and Muslim zones as happened between 1999 and 2002 and both Christian and Muslim communities are suffering.

"Blocks of houses and public facilities, including schools and university campuses have been burnt down. Bombs and explosives are being used against the living quarters of civilians, armed radicals are terrorising innocent people, snipers are killing people. Christians are being targeted under the pretext of fighting against the separatist group.

"Again there are more homeless people added to the 30,000 internally displaced people, the remainder of more than 500,000 displaced during the last conflict.

"Twelve weeks ago I stood where the Moderator's house had been burnt to the ground in the seminary that was part of a Christian University. Half of the site had been obliterated in June 2000 leaving the library and some lecture rooms. I have just heard that the 16 lecture rooms in the rest of the two story buildings, including a most precious library, and a recently rebuilt Muslim school next door was burnt to the ground along with most of the homes in this area.

"The situation is tense, with some elements stigmatising Christians as separatists unwilling to live in a dominant Moslem country. The Christians are painted as secessionists and a threat to Indonesia. This is not true and it is designed to again turn local Christians and Muslims against each other."

Pray that the fighting will not be stirred up in other parts of the Moluccas. Pray that whoever is the mastermind for these attacks will be exposed and brought to court. Pray for the conversations between Muslim Leaders and Christian Leaders as they seek ways to stop the violence and killing in the Moluccas. Pray that we may find ways to stand with the Church in the Moluccas.

"I invite you to contribute to the Uniting International Mission appeal to provide help and hope to Internally Displaced People who are living in very squalid conditions.

"In the last ten days an urgent request for any funding that can help buy books for a library to help the university keep operating would be greatly appreciated. There are four faculties (Theology, Civil Engineering, Economics and Social Political Science). Money is needed to purchase books in Indonesia."

O Lord of the Ages, we pray for the peacemakers in Ambon and the Moluccas. Be with Christian and Muslim leaders as they seek to keep violence at bay. Unmask those who stir up religious hatred for their own ends. Comfort those who have lost homes. Give hope to those who have lost everything. Inspire those who with heavy hearts rebuild from the ashes once more. In the name of Jesus who calls the heavy laden. Amen.