Proclamation of Independence
In order to comply with the true wishes, demands and the instigation of
the People of the South Moluccas, we hereby proclaim the independence,
de facto and de jure, of the South Moluccas as a republic, apart from
any political relationship with the state of East Indonesia and the
United States of Indonesia, on reason of the fact that the state of East
Indonesia is unable to maintain itself as a state in accordance with
the regulations of the Denpasar-conference, which is still
legally applicable, and in accordance with the Decision of the South
Moluccas Council of 11 March 1947, furthermore the Government of the
United States of Indonesia has acted in contravention of the RTC
agreements and her own constitution.
Ambon, 25th of april 1950
The government of the South-Moluccas
The government of the South-Moluccas
J.H. Manuhutu (President)
A. Wairisal
The proclamation was communicated to the Dutch High
Commissioner in Jakarta on April 26 1950 by telegraph. The translation
was included in the Memorandum on the development in Indonesia that the
Dutch Government submitted to the House of Representatives on May 23
1950.
The official coat of arms of the Republik Maluku Selatan, as determined
on May 9 1950 by order of the South Moluccan government, shows a
‘Pombo’ (pigeon), which is about to fly, its wings half opened and in
its beak a branch of peace. The chest is tattooed with a ‘parang’
(machete), a ’salawaku’ (shield) and a ‘sanukat’(spear).
The dove plays an important role in the South Moluccan history.
According to a South Moluccan tale, the famous South Moluccan
protagonist ‘kapitan’ Jonker with his wife, at their late age, changed
into two white doves and flew back to the South-Moluucas from Jacatra
Java. Still when two flying white doves are seen, it is considered a
good omen.
The national flag of Republik Maluku Selatan is the symbol of the state
and the unity of the people. The four colors; blue, white, green and
red are not randomly chosen. The colors have a deeper, symbolic meaning:
Blue
The blue symbolizes the South Moluccan Sea, rich in its fish, pearl, sea cucumber and seaweed. The sea with her rich yield plays an important role in the South Moluccan life. The blue also symbolizes the loyalty of the South Moluccansto their homeland.
White
The white symbolizes the purity of the South Moluccan struggle and the peace that the South Moluccans want to serve. It is the color of the South Moluccan beaches, where the waves restlessly come and go.
Green
The green is the color of the islands, which, among others, house the flourishing sago and coconut palm, and clove and nutmeg trees. Red is the primary color, the ‘Asa’ from which all life sprouted. Well known are the ‘kain berang’, a red cloth worn as a headscarf or worn around the neck or arm. This color symbolizes the bravery of the South Moluccans
The size of the flag is 2 to 3, divided into four bars, which relate as following: 1/9 blue, 1/9 white, 1/9 green, 6/9 red
Maluku Tanah Airku
| Maluku Tanah Airku Tanah tumpah darahku Ku berbakti kepadamu Selama hari hidupku Engkaulah Pusaka Raja Jang leluhur dan teguh Aku djundjung selamanja Hingga sampai adjalku Aku ingat terlebih Sedjarahmu jang pedih |
Maluku Tanah Airku Tanah datuk datukku Atas Via Dolorosa Engkau hidup merdeka Putra putri jang se djati Tumpah darah bagimu Ku bersumpah trus berbakti Serta tanggung nasibmu Aku lindung terlebih Sedjarahmu jang pedih |
Mena Muria printah leluhur Segnap djiwaku seru Bersegralah membelamu Sepri laskar jang djudjur Dengan prisai dan imanku Bahkan harap jang teguh Ku berkurban dan berasa Karna dikau ibuku Ku doakan terlebih Mena Muria hiduplah |
| Maluku, my fatherland My land of origin Thou I dedicate my strength As long as I may live Thou are the great heritage High above all else I will always uphold thee Until my dying day I will especially commemorate, Thy harrowing history |
Maluku, my fatherland Land of my ancestors Through this road of suffering Thou will reach liberty Your true sons and daughters Have sacrificed their blood for thee I swore to devote myself for thee And to secure your future I will particularly safeguard Thy harrowing history |
Mena-Muria, the high command I call out with all my heart I run to defend thee As a honest and sincere army Armed with shield and faith And above all, in full confidence I'll sacrifice and wrestle Since thou are my mother Above all I will pray That Mena-Muria may allways stay |
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The independence struggle for the free South Moluccan Republic began
with the proclamation of the RMS on April 25th 1950, and continues to
this day. Over the past six decades, the Indonesian occupier suppressed,
exploited the South-Moluccas and deliberately kept Maluku poor and
underdeveloped. Although Indonesia recently wants to line among the
decent and democratic states, that democracy is still hard to find. The
freedom of speech is the highest good in a democratic state. To date we
can not speak of this freedom in Indonesia.
For brave Moluccans who speak out to be RMS supporter, life is made
miserable. They and their families are being social-economically banned.
Those who dare to express their opinions will still be sentenced to
long prison terms by the corrupt and biased judges.
Neo-colonialism
The past decades are characterized by a self-enriching regime that uses
all resources, in particular the army, to maintain Jakarta’s
centralized stranglehold. For years the Moluccas have been an easy prey
to a new form of colonization. The Moluccas are virtually deprived of
their natural resources. Fishing grounds are leased to foreign
companies. The same applies to the tropical rainforest that is being
deforested, with high soil erosion as a result. Therefore it is not
surprising that rainfall is leading to landslides.
A largepart of the Moluccan population is living below, or just above
the poverty line. In order to keep their heads above water, the
population actually was forced off their land, which has been family
property for hundreds of years, to sell to speculators. A tragic touch
is that it were these lands that provided a part of everyday foods.
It is risky to use terms like ethnic genocide, yet one can not escape
the impression that the transmigration policies that have been followed
for years, are aimed to greatly reduce the influence of the Moluccans in
the Moluccas. Due to the lack of local employment, educated Moluccans
are still forced to seek their luck elsewhere in Indonesia. Another
finding is that the imposed system of corruption for a lot of people has
become the everyday's practice.
The largest tragedy
The most tragic happening for the Moluccas started in 1999 and is
called the ‘ Kerusuhan’. In this conflict, that was orchestrated by
Jakarta, Muslims and Christians clashed with each other and faced a
struggle between life and death that would nearly last 4 years. The
complete forcefield of the Jakartan clique and their accomplices carried
out a power struggle within the territory of the Moluccas. Political
parties and their corrupt leaders, especially the Golkar-party, the clan
of the former president Suharto, general Wiranto and the rest of the
military elite, the Muslim fundamentalist, and so on. It was clear to
everyone that they were involved in the conflict on the Moluccas. To
this day, the real culprits remain at large.
Reappraisal and reorientation
There are also positive effects. In particular the Kerusuhan-period led
to a reorientation to the Moluccan existence and the Moluccan
uniqueness. Old traditions, values and beliefs were appreciated on their
cohesive meaning and true value. Aspects of Moluccan identity and
culture were rediscovered and carefully used again. The same applied to
the reappraisal of the Moluccan political vision of a South Moluccan
Republic.
This brings us back to this day. Current events that show Moluccans who
use their natural right to freedom of speech are arrested, beaten,
tortured and given long prison terms. Only because they exercise their
rights and stand out for their political beliefs upon a legitimate
endeavor, a free Republik Maluku Selatan
No one can afford to remain idle in the seek for self-determination of the RMS.
The RMS-struggle is a legitimate and noble strive that deserves the support of whole the free and democratic world.
