Foreign aid to Maluku

The Bangkok Post opinion published in The Jakarta Post of July 12, 2000, said "Admittedly it was Jakarta's decision to send thousands of Muslim migrants to the Malukus, and Jakarta must deal with the consequences." Based on this argument and the world concern about the death of Christians in Maluku, eventually The Bangkok Post concluded: "Jakarta must accept foreign offers of help for the sake of humanity and to avert accusations of supporting Muslims commit ..."

I can't stop thinking from where The Bangkok Post obtained its data claiming that Jakarta sent thousands of Muslim migrants to Maluku. With Thailand being a close neighbor of Indonesia, The Bangkok Post should have studied the ethnic groups in Nusantara (Indonesia). The Muslims targeted by Maluku Christians are ethnic Bugis, Buton and Muna (BBM), not Javanese or Madurese Muslims who become transmigrants. They have been in Maluku for two to three generations.

As a migrating group, the BBM ethnic group is more dynamic than the local people, the majority of whom happen to be Christian. Therefore the migrants always triumph over the others when it comes to earning a living. This doesn't take place in Ambon or Maluku only. In Singapore, the Chinese are superior to the Malays. On Java and in South Sulawesi, the ethnic Chinese are superior to native people, and therefore ethnic Chinese are often the target of social unrest on Java and in the land of the Bugis. Even the Betawi ethnic group has been almost "displaced" from their own birth place in Jakarta and can't do much about it because they have become a minority, like the ethnic Malay in Singapore. The Betawi have long wanted the position of Jakarta governor to be filled by one of their own, but their dream has never come true. Migrants are not to be blamed for such a condition. For the most part it's the natives' mistake. They always maintain their system with obsolete values and low work ethos. For example, the highest value of the Betawi is the haj religious title. So, for them it's a noble step to go on the haj pilgrimage by ignoring their children's education.

The Maluku conflict started through a disagreement between a Muslim and a Christian at the start of 1999. But it doesn't mean that the conflict in Maluku has religious nuances. It's just socioeconomic jealousy with a religious wrapping. By manipulating the socioeconomic sentiment as a religious problem, jahat (evil) becomes jihad, killer becomes hero and friend becomes enemy. I then remember Wilson's writing: "It is said in the Bible the love of money is the root of evil. It might be truer to say the love of God is the root of all evils. Religion is the tragedy of mankind. It excites to prosecute one another to claim for themselves as possession of the truth."

Considering the premises voiced by The Bangkok Post are far from the truth in the field, the conclusion it took was a big mistake. Will the acceptance of European intervention soon solve the problem? Foreign intervention will just make the problem more complicated. Muslims, fanatical and secular, would unite in one front as they would feel unjustly treated and they would not keep silent. They are not only incited by religious feelings but also by nationalism, which would remind them of the Republic of South Maluku (RMS) which was backed by European countries, especially the Netherlands. It might even become another Somalia or Yugoslavia. Therefore, ministers and priests had better stop their efforts to seek European aid or any other country's beyond Indonesia in solving the problem in Maluku.

Temporary aid requested by Christians will be accepted in North Sulawesi. If necessary go to Ciganjur and ask for President Abdurrahman Wahid's help. I'm sure he will openheartedly accept. It's time now for every party to establish an attitude of reciprocal belief and deliver their respective arms to the authorities. Religious leaders such as Islam scholars, ministers and priests can certainly do something for the good of all.

Solve the problem, don't create a new one!

M. IKHSAN

Jakarta