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Maluku: A Human Tragedy and A Jihad
Ahmad Syafii Maarif*
 
Ibn Batutah, a Muslim traveler of long time ago was said to
call Maluku as Jazirat Al-Muluk (Kings' Peninsula) for the
many charismatic leaders (kings) he met across the islands.
Seen from the global trade of the past, Maluku was known as
the fabled Spice Islands for cloves, nutmeg and mace, that
grew only there, and nowhere to be found that period in any
other part of the world.
 
Islam was introduced into the islands since the 14th century
as the formal religion of Ternate Sultanate. It was Islam as a
religion who served to fortify Maluku - although not
thoroughly succeeded - from the attack of penetrating
Europeans: the Portuguese in the 16th century and the VOC of
the Dutch in the 17 century.
 
There are two goals aspired by the European in Maluku: to
trade and promulgate religion. The Portuguese with its
Catholic teachings, and the Dutch with its Protestantism. In
the quests of both beliefs from Europe, the Protestants
excelled over the Catholics. And therefore, vicious struggle
escalated between the Muslims and the Protestants until
to-day.
 
In an effort to face the foreign power, the Muslims had since
the 16th century declared and launched their jihad. The enemy,
however, are superior in term of weaponry and war strategy.
But overall the Muslim population in Maluku until today is
more that the Christians (60-40). The Christians comprised of
35% Protestants and 5% Catholics.
 
Some among the Protestants themselves included the radical,
aggressive, and militant group who wished to change the
balance of the Muslim and Christian adherents. The RMS
(Republic of South Maluku) Declaration in January 8, 1950, was
among their aspirations to establish a republic with Christian
majority in the region.
 
Although already exterminated, the RMS as a political
aspiration has never been thoroughly extinguished in the
region. It is not an impossible thing that a neo-imperialism
through their domestic agents had been playing its role at the
deadly drama in Maluku.
 
The reform era should be taken as the right moment to once
again appeal the world of the existing RMS, with strong
support from a number of churches and their leaders currently
residing in the Netherlands. It seems that these people had
secretly supplied weapons to Maluku. The aftermath, the plain
Muslims had become the target practice for an ongoing killing
since last year, which was initiated by the Bloody Idul Fitri
on January 19, 1999, until to-day. It is worth noting that the
RMS anniversary is January 18.
 
Calls for a jihad needs to be declared, as various Muslims
dwelling places in the region were exposed to attacks by armed
groups of foreign supports. This is exacerbated by the
security people and local government officials stance who
seemed no longer being impartial. If only the neutrality of
the security can be maintained and Muslims have adequate
weapons, then it might be expected that the killing can be
prevented, because fighting against the enemy for a
self-defense purpose is part of the Islamic principle of a
jihad.
 
Latest authentic information that we have received at the
grassroots, particularly in Ambon, revealed that Muslims had
already feel loathed for the word 'peace', because they feel
as continually being betrayed. If the psychological situation
is already at this point of no return level, then we could
easily imagine that death is no longer something to be afraid
of, but on the contrary is challenged at any time.
 
Is this the way that we should settle the problem faced by
this nation, to allow the unending history of vengeance with
continuing victims taking its toll? Religion and sound of mind
clearly condemned any such method, except where religion is
used as political tools and bandwagon. All religions can be
abused for evil purposes as what we are now witnessing in the
various historic stages of periods. What is happening in
Maluku is a religious abuse for the purpose of lowly and
amoral worldly gain.
 
Until to-day, our people in the region are killing each other,
while the security people seemed to allow this violence to go
on. Under this condition, what is wrong if the Muslims calls
for a jihad to defend themselves and their religion? The
non-governmental organizations and even the National
Commission on Human Rights who are usually very articulate,
why they seemed remained silent in the Maluku mayhem?
 
In my capacity as Chairman of Muhammadiyah, and together with
the Chairman of PWM (Muhammadiyah Regional Chief) of Maluku,
and a colleague in Makassar, visited the Indonesian Military
(TNI) Chief of Staff of General Affairs Lieutenant General
Suaidi Marasabessy in the TNI Headquarters Cilangkap, East
Jakarta, on January 11, 2000. We appealed that the attacks and
the killings against the Muslims in Maluku be immediately
stopped.
 
We all hope that the old colonial ways, either by the
Portuguese of the Dutch, must be terminated, for the dire
consequences to be faced by all the people of Indonesia who
are currently still dodged by mayhem.
 
These methods while they are disastrous undertakings are the
remnants of civilization which we should have long time ago
discarded into the history's waste bin. Remember the second
moral principle of Pancasila: a just and civilized humanity.
Then why should the children of this nation still deeply
engaged themselves in this barbarism?
 
And finally, we would like to warn the government officials to
prevent themselves making comments without basis which will
only worsen the situation in Maluku which is already under
terrible situation. Kindly reserves with issuing statements
and try to accommodate honest, accurate, fair and
comprehensive information. As it is, this nation all these
times is already bored to death with the whims of the
political elite.
 
*Chairman of Muhammadiyah and lecturer at State-run University
 in Yogyakarta.
 
Gatra

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