Chris McCall, Jakarta – A new separatist front in Indonesia's troubled Spice Islands is demanding that Jakarta "restore" the sovereignty of the Christian-dominated south.
The recently-formed Malukus Sovereignty Front argues that Indonesia illegally annexed the islands in the early 1950s, when its forces defeated a short-lived Republic of the South Malukus. The front has carefully avoided use of the word "independence", which it says would constitute subversion, an argument Indonesian police are unlikely to accept.
Although police have dismissed the group as of minor significance, it includes senior members of the Christian community and at least one Muslim. It claims substantial support.
Police in the capital, Ambon, are today due to question two leaders of the group for the second time over a December 18 statement calling for separation from Indonesia. Chairman Alex Manuputty and secretary-general Hengky Manuhutu are to sign statements summing up earlier questioning on December 23. Dr Manuputty said he was aware of moves to have them investigated for subversion.
"The Malukus are a republic according to international law. Indonesia annexed the Malukus. We ask for an international dialogue with Indonesia," Dr Manuputty said.
In the 1950s the Maluku Islands were the site of one of Indonesia's earliest rebellions. The Republic of the South Malukus declared independence when Indonesia's founding president, Sukarno, reneged on parts of an international agreement to end the country's four-year war of independence from the Netherlands.
Instead of the federal state he had agreed to, Sukarno adopted a centralised form of government, bound to favour Indonesia's Muslim majority. The Christian-dominated Maluku rebellion quickly followed, led by local soldiers from the former Dutch colonial army. After their defeat, the rebel leaders mostly went into exile in the Netherlands, where a Maluku government-in-exile still exists.
The past two years of bloodshed in the Malukus have generated strong feelings among this exile community and angry demonstrations. Dr Manuputty said his front was separate to the Republic of the South Malukus movement, but had held informal talks with it.
Regional police chief Brigadier-General Firman Gani yesterday said other members of the Malukus Sovereignty Front might be called for questioning.
The front is claiming the Christian-dominated southern portion of the islands. It does not claim the Muslim-dominated north, which was last year split into a separate province.
Its plan would probably do little to solve the bloodshed. Some of the most endangered Christians are on the northern island of Halmahera. On the other hand, Christians have been totally driven out of the southern Banda Islands and Muslims there would be unlikely to freely join a Christian-dominated republic.