Maluku
Maluku is a
province of
Indonesia, comprising, broadly, the southern part of the
Maluku Islands (also known as the
Moluccas,
Molucca Islands or
Moluccan Islands), lying east of
Sulawesi (Celebes), west of
New Guinea, and north of
Timor. The
islands were also historically known as the "
Spice Islands" by the
Chinese and
Europeans, but this term has also been applied to other islands. The
Banda Islands are included in the group.
Most of the islands are mountainous, some with active
volcanoes, and enjoy a wet
climate. The
vegetation of the small and narrow islands, encompassed by the sea, is very luxuriant; including rain forests,
sago,
rice, and the famous
spices nutmeg,
cloves,
mace, and others. Though originally Melanesian, the Banda Island populations were decimated in the 17th century, and a second influx of
Malays and other has occurred since Maluka became part of
Indonesia.
Pre-1949 history
\nMelanesians have been sailors and traders for thousands of years. Moluccan islanders seem to have been farming and trading spices since at least the early centuries B.C. Onyx beads and segments of silver plate used as currency on the Indian subcontinent around 200BC have been unearthed on some of the islands. In addition, local dialects employ derivations of the Malayan word then in use for 'silver', in contrast to the term used in wider Melanesian society, which has etymological roots in Chinese, a consequence of the regional trade with China that developed in the 500s and 600s.
Although cultures varied across this dispersed group of islands, there is a sense in which the Moluccas were a cosmopolitan society, in that traders from across the region took residence in Moluccan settlements, or in nearby enclaves, to conduct spice business.
In 1513 the Portuguese landed in Ambon, whose produce was in great demand. A Portuguese fort and control quickly followed for Ambon, the Uliasser Islands and Banda. The Spaniards took control of Ternate and Tidore. Roman Catholism spread quickly among the native population of Ambon.
The Dutch arrived in 1599 and reported aboriginal discontent with the Portuguese monopolising their traditional trade. After the Amboinese help the Dutch construct a fort at Hitu Larna, the Portuguese begun a campaign of retribution against which the Amboinese invited Dutch aid. After 1605 Frederik de Houtman became the first Dutch governor of Ambon.
The Dutch East-India Company was a company with three obstacles in its way: the Portuguese, controlling the aboriginal populations, and the British. Again smuggling would be the only alternative to a European monopoly. Among other events of the 17th century, the Bandanese attempted independent trade with the British, the East-India Company's response was to decimate the native population of the Banda Islands sending the survivors fleeing to other islands and installing slave labour.
Though other races re-settled the Banda Islands, the rest of Maluka remain uneasy with foreign control and even after the Portuguese had a new trading station at Macassar there were native revolts in 1636 and 1646. Under company control northern Maluka was administed by the Dutch residency of Ternate, and the southern by "Amboyna" (Ambon).
During the Japanese occupation in World War II, the Malukans fled to the mountains but begun a campaign of resistance also known as the South Moluccan Brigade. After the war's end the island's political leaders had successful discussions with the Netherlands about independence. Complicated by Indonesian demands, the Round Table Conference Agreements were signed in 1949 transferring Maluka to Indonesia with mechanisms for the islands to chose or opt out of the new Indonesia. The Agreements granted the Malukans the right to determine their ultimate sovereignty.
Indonesian history
\nWith the declaration of a unitary republic of Indonesia in 1950 to replace the federal state, the South Moluccas (Maluku Selatan) attempted to secede.\nThe commencement of Indonesian transmigration of (mainly) Javanese populations to the outer islands (including the Moluccus) during the 1960's is thought to have aggravated independence and issues of religious / ethnic politics.\nThere has been intermittent ethnic and nationalist violence on the islands and acts of terrorism by members of the RMS in the Netherlands since that time.
Maluku formed a single province of Indonesia from 1950 until 1999. In 1999 the Maluku Utara Regency was split off as a separate province of North Maluku. Its provisional capital is Ternate, on a small island to the west of the large island of Halmahera, although it is not particularly stable.
The main city and capital of Maluku province is Ambon City on the small Ambon Island.
The situation in much of Maluku has been highly unpredictable since conflict erupted in the province in January 1999. The subsequent 18 months were characterized by fighting between largely local groups of Muslims and Christians, the destruction of thousands of houses, the displacement of approximately 500,000 people, the loss of thousands of lives, and the segregation of Muslims and Christians. The following 12 months saw periodic eruptions of violence, which appeared more targeted and pre-meditated, designed to keep suspicions high and people segregated. As the situation became calmer on islands in the province apart from Ambon, people started to return home in these areas. In spite of numerous negotiations and the signing of a peace agreement in February 2002, tensions on Ambon remained high until late 2002, when a series of spontaneous 'mixings' between previously hostile groups led to a sporadic, but generally increasingly stable peace.
See also: Bacan
List of major islands and island groups in Maluku
\n* Ambon Island\n* Aru Islands (Kepulauan Aru)\n* Babar Island\n* Barat Daya Islands (includes Wetar Island)\n* Banda Islands (Kepulauan Banda)\n* Buru\n* Kai Islands\n* Leti Islands\n* Saparua\n* Seram\n* Tanimbar Islands (Kepulauan Tanimbar, also called Timor Laut)
See also: Islands of Indonesia
Chronology of Events of Recent Conflict in Maluku
January - February 1999
\nAn argument between a Christian passenger and Muslim bus driver on January 19, 1999 developed into a fight that quickly spreads into days of violence with many casualties and much destruction of housing. The fighting quickly spreads to the nearby islands of Haruku, Seram and Saparua because of rumors.
March - June 1999
\nThere is a four-month period of calm during which time Indonesia's first free national and regional elections in 44 years take place largely without violence. May 12, 1999, a peace declaration is signed between religious leaders, community and traditional leaders and youth figures and organizations.
July - December 1999
\nFrom July 27, major riots take place with hundreds of shops and homes destroyed. In August fighting breaks out in the newly created province of North Maluku (which until 1999 had been part of Maluku province), primarily due to political and ethnic not religious reasons. The second half of 1999 saw regular fighting across Maluku province with many casualties.
January - May 2000
\nJanuary 7, 2000, over 100,000 Muslims demonstrate in Jakarta calling for a jihad in Maluku in order to save the Muslims. In May the Laskar Jihad militia group begin to arrive in Maluku. 3,000 are reported to arrive in the province. Other Islamic milita groups are absorbed into it.\nTensions rise within both religious groups. Muslim militias start to try to clear Christian villages out of key transportation corridors.
June - August 2000
\nOn June 27, President Abdurrahman Wahid declares a state of civil emergency, giving the police and military broad new powers.\nBy July 2000 there were approximately 14,000 troops in Maluku.\nMany of the villages across the bay from Ambon town as well as the main university of Pattiumura are destroyed. There has been large-scale displacement of populations.\nIn August 2000, the Yon Gab, Joint Battalion arrives made up of soldiers from other parts of Indonesia with the hope that they would not become involved with one side or the other. Open clashes between Muslims and Christians become more rare.
March 2001
\nA bomb is thrown into the second floor of a library. Incidents occur regularly although there is no wide spread displacement on Ambon. In December, approximately 200 Muslim and Christian leaders meet in Jogjakarta to explore the possibility of reaching reconciliation in Maluku.\nForced conversion of Christians on remote islands of Kesoui and Teor off Seram causes displacement of 800 families to Southeast Maluku.\nOn the eve of the second anniversary of the conflict troops conduct 'sweepings' in Ambon. During the following days several police officers are arrested for partisan involvement with the conflict. Relations between the army and the Ambon police deteriorate further. The situation remains calm in Southeast\nMaluku and IDPs begin to return. The situation remains relatively calm with\nsporadic incidents.
April 2001
\nTensions rise in the build up to April 25, anniversary of the declaration of an independent state in Maluku, when members of the Maluku Sovereignty Front (FKM) raise independence flags.\nThe leader of the FKM and the leader of Laskar Jihad are arrested although later both are released.
May - June 2001
\nStarting on May 20, masked men launch a series of attacks in Christian areas of Ambon resulting in eighteen deaths and widespread fear.\nOn June 14, the Joint Battalion conducts wide spread sweeping in Muslim areas of town, resulting in 23 Muslim deaths and the destruction of the Laskar Jihad radio station and a Laskar medical clinic.
The situation returns to a state of relative calm. The events of September 11 and the ensuing bombing in Afghanistan increase tensions towards internationals from Muslims but no direct threats are made towards humanitarian organizations or individuals.\nSporadic incidents culminate in the bombing and sinking of the main ferry in Ambon, the California, with 18 killed.
April 2002
\nIn April, the Coordinating Minister for Peoples' Welfare, Jusuf Kalla, becomes actively engaged in trying to solve the conflict. Following lengthy discussions, a meeting is held in Malino, Sulawesi and a peace accord signed between 35 Muslim and 35 Christian delegates. This leads to wide spread celebrations in Ambon and considerable increased movement between Muslim and Christian areas of town. However on 4th April, the Governor's building, one of the main neutral meeting points in town is burned to a shell.\nThe situation then becomes calmer until 25th April when FKM supporters again raise flags (this time on balloons) and trigger violence in the city.\nMuslim Militia attacks a Christian village burning 35 houses.
2004
In Spring 2004 renewed violence erupts in Ambon.
External Links
\n* Government in exile 1992\n* Maluka request Indonesia stop Human Rights abuses 1993\n* Deforestation in the Moluccas\n* An Indonesian telling of the 1999 state of martial law
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