Muluku security observations

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I write this because I know the issue often comes up when people are planning to go to Eastern Indonesia. I have just returned from a holiday in Maluku 3 weeks in November 06. While I do not have Bahsa we meet up with some knowledgeable people on the subject of the conflict. Dutch Mulukans, local English speakers Europeans trying to run businesses in the area, People who came there for Holidays every year and only missed one year during the conflict and extended conversations with a Dutch journalist, she spends much of her time in Muluku covering the area including being there during the conflict and in East Timor during the war, These are my opinions on the security situation, formed from observations and conversations. It goes without saying that you decide for yourself.

The society has not returned to the way it was before the conflict, areas are still largely polarized and there is less mixing than previously this is often because houses have been destroyed or occupied by others who have in turn lost there own houses. As commented by others there is a lot of post traumatic stress about.

Having said that the general feeling is that the conflict was engineered by outside influences intent on causing trouble somewhere as part of individuals or groups involved in power struggles, during a time that leadership was weak in Indonesia

http://jongoss.info/papers/malukuwars.htm Has more information about this if you are interested and there seems to be circumstantial evidence to back it up.

There are individuals and areas that are still under tension. Though there seems to be a real desire to build bridges and come together again. It will take time to build trust. Ordinary people particularly in Bandaneira spoke of the conflict as the tragedy or the accident obviously still raw. They were re-building the main church in Bandaneira in preparation for the Christians who want to return as they all left the island during the conflict, other churches remain wrecked. The limited no of Indonesian I knew well enough on Banda said they must come back they are our friends our neighbors they belong here they spoke as if there absents reminded them of that terrible time.

People in the Mulukus suspect anyone who turns up and tries to agitate they are treated with suspicion and not wanted around as people are still feel that they were maneuvered into the conflict.

My overriding impression is one of people wanting to put events behind them and go back to as it was.

People in Ambon and especially Banda were pleased to see tourists and were more welcoming and hospitable than any place I have ever been. We were repeatedly invited around people’s houses, and after doing a lesson in the local school pretty soon most people on the island called us by name. Ambon to although there are some heavy porters working the Pelni boats (pretty normal for a dock area) everyone we meet up with was friendly and helpful, no matter that there own society may still have tensions there is an intent to overcome that if we do not visit places because of local tensions there are not many places left in the world to visit.

I am not an expert though I have traveled the world for 35 years, including visiting conflict areas and war zones for work (I am not one of those tourists you may find in Iraq). Muluku did not feel like a conflict area and tensions there are a mixed bag in with regret and guilt for what happened. I may be wrong but I had no feeling that the trouble will erupt again even with some issues remaining from the conflict, there appears to be a general desire to overcome this.

Would we go again, Yes in April 07 we can’t wait to get back.

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Photos

Ambon
Relic from an earlier conflict WW2

Ambon
Market place a good place for people to mix

Ambon marching
More like a kids marching band without the instruments than a milatary occasion
Ther were dozens of these troups in a proccession