Further bloodshed in the Molluccas

There were more killings as a series of attacks were launched by Islamic Jihad fighters on Christian villages along the coastal area near Ambon this week. Up to ten were killed and more than 17 were injured in one incident. A village called Wayame was attacked, then all the Christian houses in Wailate were burnt to the ground. The Diocesan Crisis centre report that a nurse, Betty Leinata, was killed. Several other people were shot in their cars as they tried to escape. Around 2,000 people are said to be on the move in the area, having lost their homes. Other villages are said to be in flames. Groups of Christian young men have also taken to arms and engaging in combat with the Moslem fighters. Church authorities say shooting and bombings can also be heard in the centre of Ambon, particularly in the neighbourhoods of Karang Panjang and Galala.