Hundreds missing as the violence spreads

Hundreds of people have gone missing from Christian villages in the Molluccas following a series of fresh attacks by Moslem militia over the past few days. One hundred and twenty-three people disappeared from the village of Waesoar, on the Island of Buru, west of Ambon Island, in the past week. Since February, many villagers have been hiding the forest after two attacks. Ninety-six people managed to reach another village but the fate of those missing is unknown. There were further Moslem attacks on villages of the Island of Teor last week. Workers at the diocesan Crisis Centre at Ambon report that at least two people were killed and many homes were destroyed. Most of the villagers escaped to the Kei islands. Many people said the Moslems were forcing people to convert to Islam.