Foreign aid to Maluku

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