Letter to The United Nations
TO: Mr. Kofi Annan, U.N. Secretary General
Chairperson of the U.N. Security Council
From: Moluccan Sovereignty Front - FKM, Front Kedaulatan Maluku
SUBJECT: Commemoration of Moluccan Independence Day on April 25, 2001
Cc: President George W. Bush; Vice President Dick Chenney; U.S. Senate; U.S. House of Representatives; Members of European Union Secretary of State, Colin Powell; High Commissioner for Human Rights, Marie Robinson
The International Community & Media; Rep. Joe Pitts, Ranking Democrat-Subcomittee on East Asia & the Pacific, Erni Faleomavaega; Voice of America
Dear Sir,
Pertaining to our letter with a reference number #: 04/DPP.FKM/2001 dated January 18, 2001 addressed to His Excellency President of the Republic of Indonesia. And a letter Number: 05/DPP>FKM/I/2001 addressed to the U.N. Security Council regarding our request to clarify the legitimacy of the South Moluccan Republic (Republik Maluku Selatan) a.k.a. RMS sovereignty, where this request is based on the fact that RMS did indeed posses a legal position within the existing international order. The declaration of independence on April 25, 1950 is motivated by the aspiration of the Moluccan people better known as the "Alif'urus to become one nation. A nation where everyone will have an opportunity to exercise the unalienable rights to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.
A declaration that is in accordance with the extremely important decision taken by the South-Moluccan Council on March 11, 1947, to join the "federal state" of East Indonesia (Negara Indonesia Timur-N.I.T) conditionally, that is to say: without prejudice to their right to withdraw from the federal state of N.I.T. if the government of the N.I.T should fail to pay due regard to the interest of the South Moluccas. In other words the South Moluccans have the right to withdraw from the federal state in case the interest of the South Moluccans should be insufficiently taken into account.
A declaration that is in harmony with international law and the will of the people. General international laws as well as formal treaties have guaranteed their right of existence. However, we have not received any response from anyone of you up to this moment.
Now, we are faced with an important moment, April 25, to commemorate the birth of our nation. A day that became an absolute part of what we've been fighting for through all these years. Therefore, we have no choice but to be involved with this crucial moment in the history of our people.
We plan to have a ceremony to commemorate the independence of the Republic of Maluku Selatan (RMS) on April 25, 2001 as a manifestation to uphold, to acknowledge, and to honor the Rights of Moluccans.
Therefore we appeal to you, Mr. Secretary General, Kofi Annan, and the U.N. Security Council to support our plan so that all the festivities will run smoothly and our people will be free from harassment and possible abuse from the Indonesian army (TNI) and police (POLRI).
In reference to the above matters, FKM (Front Kedaulatan Maluku- Moluccan Sovereignty Front) would like to take this opportunity to bring several things to your attention. They are as follows:
A. In regard to the facts that:
1. FKM is determined to fight for the dignity of the Moluccan people that at this current moment is in a precipitous state in the last 423 years caused by other foreigners and the last 50 years by the Republic of Indonesia.
2. Maluku has a legal and absolute right to exist according to Linggarjati, Renville, Van Royen-Roem, and Round Table agreements
3. International recognition pointing towards the legitimacy of the Republik Maluku Selatan (RMS):
a. Letter dated June 24, 1950, from the Chairman of the Commission to the Netherlands High Commissioner in Reply to the latter's Note of June 21, concerning the Implementation of Article 2 of the Agreement on
Transitional Measures.
b. The Judgment of the President of the Arrondissement Court of Amsterdam on November 2, 1950
c. The Judgment of the Court of Appeal in Amsterdam of February 8, 1951.
4. The occurrence of the most flagrant violation of human rights in the Moluccan civil war manifested in forced religious conversion into Islam leveled upon our people that came from a protestant persuasion as well as Catholics in the islands of Kesui and Teor. It is imperative that this sudden appearance of latent Muslim ideology deserved a response from FKM.
B. Considering:
1. The inability of the government of Indonesia to enforce paragraph IV of her Constitution of 1945 that supposedly guaranteed the safety of every individual in her care.
2. The politics of self-righteousness as practiced the Republic of Indonesia while ignoring its own shortcomings - abuses that she committed towards the rights of states and its people.
3. The experience in Maluku in the last 50 years point to the facts that Moluccans will be arrested, jailed, and tortured; making it a mockery of the qualities of humaneness. This act is exacerbated with cruel and abusive deeds for the last 2 years using the excuse employed by the fundamentalist Moslems that Christians are RMS agents and the cause of the unrest in the Moluccas. Hence, Christians need to be fossilized forever from the surface of the earth.
4. The aspiration and Desire to experience Liberty is deeply ingrained in the soul of every Mollucan. This is based on our past history and culture as well as international treaty. This aspiration needs to be expressed in a civilized and humane manner without the possibility of bloodshed instigated by the army (TNI) and police (POLRI).
5. The aspiration and desire of the Moluccan people to raise its own flag should be allowed to happen in a save, responsible, transparent, and peaceful manner.
Hoisting of one's flag is a legitimate right of every human being that ever walk the service of this earth.
C. Remembering:
1. RMS was never a country within a country, a tactic propagated by the government of Indonesia for the last 50 years. On the contrary, RMS is a free and sovereign country and earned her independence on April 25, 1950.It is a fact that today the territory of the R.M.S. is for the greater part occupied by foreign troops and that most of the people of the South Moluccas is subdued. Here is a brave little republic whose citizens are fighting with all their might for the realization of one of the ideals of the world-community, guaranteed by the world organization itself. Shall we have them vanquished by superior forces without coming to their aid, without even listening to their voice? It would be to our own shame and detriment. " We need not fail."
Whoever has once been convinced of the righteousness of the cause of the R.M.S. will not rest until the people of the South Moluccas lives in peace and freedom.
2. RMS is neither a separatist nor a rebellious movement. The South Moluccans never definitively joined the Republic of the United States of Indonesia and moreover the Republic of the South Moluccas was proclaimed by it representative body before the present Indonesian Republic existed. Hence, The R.M.S has never had any constitutional relations with the latter and thus there can be no question of a domestic matter. The term separatist is a misrepresentation of the facts! On the other hand, no member-State could without violating the law impose upon its fellow-members a transformation of a Federal State into a Unitarian State. Much less could one of them legally enforce such transformation upon the others by military force. The South Moluccas were entitled to defend themselves against any attempt to destroy the guaranteed federal structure of the United States of Indonesia.
3. The suffering, oppression, coercion, extortion, forced religious conversion, to Islam, discouragement of personal development so people remain ignorant about issues important to them, distortion of the truth, and impoverishment has reach its peak because of 50 years of human tragedy, civil war in the past 2 years. This have affected all aspects of life and the quality of life of every person, family, and Moluccan society in general.
4. Even President Wahid in one of his speeches declared that it is fine for the people of Aceh and Papua to raise their flags. If that is the case then the Moluccans should be able to raise their flag without any repercussion whatsoever. Therefore, we encourage the UN to follow suit.
FKM are knowingly fighting for the betterment of Rights and Obligation, Dignity and Prestige of the Moluccan people so it can be restored to the same level enjoyed by all other nations around the world. Due to this obvious fact and all the above aforementioned facts, it is only fitting that we request for the Secretary General of the U.N. and the
Chairman of the U.N. Security Council to take the following steps:
a. Grant the Moluccans permission and protection so it can safely commemorate the birth of our country on
April 25, 2001 as a manifestation that we are determined to acknowledge and to uphold forever human rights in the Moluccas.
b. To pressure the government of Indonesia so they will instead serve as the mediator as well as facilitator in this festivity.
c. To recognize that this event represent a celebration of the sovereignty of R.M.S.
d. Direct and monitor the steps that need to be taken leading all the way to the preparation and execution of the planned ceremony.
e. Grant FKM a mandate and appoint her as the sponsor of the April 25 ceremony. If possible we hope to receive a response from by the 20th of this month.
In the name of the Maluku/ Alif'uru nation
Sincerely,
Alex Manuputty, MD
FKM Executive Chairperson
Hengky Manuhutu, SH
Secretary General
Semmy Waileruny, SH
Judicial Chairperson
TO: Mr. Kofi Annan, U.N. Secretary General
Chairperson of the U.N. Security Council
From: Moluccan Sovereignty Front - FKM, Front Kedaulatan Maluku
SUBJECT: Commemoration of Moluccan Independence Day on April 25, 2001
Cc: President George W. Bush; Vice President Dick Chenney; U.S. Senate; U.S. House of Representatives; Members of European Union Secretary of State, Colin Powell; High Commissioner for Human Rights, Marie Robinson
The International Community & Media; Rep. Joe Pitts, Ranking Democrat-Subcomittee on East Asia & the Pacific, Erni Faleomavaega; Voice of America
Dear Sir,
Pertaining to our letter with a reference number #: 04/DPP.FKM/2001 dated January 18, 2001 addressed to His Excellency President of the Republic of Indonesia. And a letter Number: 05/DPP>FKM/I/2001 addressed to the U.N. Security Council regarding our request to clarify the legitimacy of the South Moluccan Republic (Republik Maluku Selatan) a.k.a. RMS sovereignty, where this request is based on the fact that RMS did indeed posses a legal position within the existing international order. The declaration of independence on April 25, 1950 is motivated by the aspiration of the Moluccan people better known as the "Alif'urus to become one nation. A nation where everyone will have an opportunity to exercise the unalienable rights to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.
A declaration that is in accordance with the extremely important decision taken by the South-Moluccan Council on March 11, 1947, to join the "federal state" of East Indonesia (Negara Indonesia Timur-N.I.T) conditionally, that is to say: without prejudice to their right to withdraw from the federal state of N.I.T. if the government of the N.I.T should fail to pay due regard to the interest of the South Moluccas. In other words the South Moluccans have the right to withdraw from the federal state in case the interest of the South Moluccans should be insufficiently taken into account.
A declaration that is in harmony with international law and the will of the people. General international laws as well as formal treaties have guaranteed their right of existence. However, we have not received any response from anyone of you up to this moment.
Now, we are faced with an important moment, April 25, to commemorate the birth of our nation. A day that became an absolute part of what we've been fighting for through all these years. Therefore, we have no choice but to be involved with this crucial moment in the history of our people.
We plan to have a ceremony to commemorate the independence of the Republic of Maluku Selatan (RMS) on April 25, 2001 as a manifestation to uphold, to acknowledge, and to honor the Rights of Moluccans.
Therefore we appeal to you, Mr. Secretary General, Kofi Annan, and the U.N. Security Council to support our plan so that all the festivities will run smoothly and our people will be free from harassment and possible abuse from the Indonesian army (TNI) and police (POLRI).
In reference to the above matters, FKM (Front Kedaulatan Maluku- Moluccan Sovereignty Front) would like to take this opportunity to bring several things to your attention. They are as follows:
A. In regard to the facts that:
1. FKM is determined to fight for the dignity of the Moluccan people that at this current moment is in a precipitous state in the last 423 years caused by other foreigners and the last 50 years by the Republic of Indonesia.
2. Maluku has a legal and absolute right to exist according to Linggarjati, Renville, Van Royen-Roem, and Round Table agreements
3. International recognition pointing towards the legitimacy of the Republik Maluku Selatan (RMS):
a. Letter dated June 24, 1950, from the Chairman of the Commission to the Netherlands High Commissioner in Reply to the latter's Note of June 21, concerning the Implementation of Article 2 of the Agreement on
Transitional Measures.
b. The Judgment of the President of the Arrondissement Court of Amsterdam on November 2, 1950
c. The Judgment of the Court of Appeal in Amsterdam of February 8, 1951.
4. The occurrence of the most flagrant violation of human rights in the Moluccan civil war manifested in forced religious conversion into Islam leveled upon our people that came from a protestant persuasion as well as Catholics in the islands of Kesui and Teor. It is imperative that this sudden appearance of latent Muslim ideology deserved a response from FKM.
B. Considering:
1. The inability of the government of Indonesia to enforce paragraph IV of her Constitution of 1945 that supposedly guaranteed the safety of every individual in her care.
2. The politics of self-righteousness as practiced the Republic of Indonesia while ignoring its own shortcomings - abuses that she committed towards the rights of states and its people.
3. The experience in Maluku in the last 50 years point to the facts that Moluccans will be arrested, jailed, and tortured; making it a mockery of the qualities of humaneness. This act is exacerbated with cruel and abusive deeds for the last 2 years using the excuse employed by the fundamentalist Moslems that Christians are RMS agents and the cause of the unrest in the Moluccas. Hence, Christians need to be fossilized forever from the surface of the earth.
4. The aspiration and Desire to experience Liberty is deeply ingrained in the soul of every Mollucan. This is based on our past history and culture as well as international treaty. This aspiration needs to be expressed in a civilized and humane manner without the possibility of bloodshed instigated by the army (TNI) and police (POLRI).
5. The aspiration and desire of the Moluccan people to raise its own flag should be allowed to happen in a save, responsible, transparent, and peaceful manner.
Hoisting of one's flag is a legitimate right of every human being that ever walk the service of this earth.
C. Remembering:
1. RMS was never a country within a country, a tactic propagated by the government of Indonesia for the last 50 years. On the contrary, RMS is a free and sovereign country and earned her independence on April 25, 1950.It is a fact that today the territory of the R.M.S. is for the greater part occupied by foreign troops and that most of the people of the South Moluccas is subdued. Here is a brave little republic whose citizens are fighting with all their might for the realization of one of the ideals of the world-community, guaranteed by the world organization itself. Shall we have them vanquished by superior forces without coming to their aid, without even listening to their voice? It would be to our own shame and detriment. " We need not fail."
Whoever has once been convinced of the righteousness of the cause of the R.M.S. will not rest until the people of the South Moluccas lives in peace and freedom.
2. RMS is neither a separatist nor a rebellious movement. The South Moluccans never definitively joined the Republic of the United States of Indonesia and moreover the Republic of the South Moluccas was proclaimed by it representative body before the present Indonesian Republic existed. Hence, The R.M.S has never had any constitutional relations with the latter and thus there can be no question of a domestic matter. The term separatist is a misrepresentation of the facts! On the other hand, no member-State could without violating the law impose upon its fellow-members a transformation of a Federal State into a Unitarian State. Much less could one of them legally enforce such transformation upon the others by military force. The South Moluccas were entitled to defend themselves against any attempt to destroy the guaranteed federal structure of the United States of Indonesia.
3. The suffering, oppression, coercion, extortion, forced religious conversion, to Islam, discouragement of personal development so people remain ignorant about issues important to them, distortion of the truth, and impoverishment has reach its peak because of 50 years of human tragedy, civil war in the past 2 years. This have affected all aspects of life and the quality of life of every person, family, and Moluccan society in general.
4. Even President Wahid in one of his speeches declared that it is fine for the people of Aceh and Papua to raise their flags. If that is the case then the Moluccans should be able to raise their flag without any repercussion whatsoever. Therefore, we encourage the UN to follow suit.
FKM are knowingly fighting for the betterment of Rights and Obligation, Dignity and Prestige of the Moluccan people so it can be restored to the same level enjoyed by all other nations around the world. Due to this obvious fact and all the above aforementioned facts, it is only fitting that we request for the Secretary General of the U.N. and the
Chairman of the U.N. Security Council to take the following steps:
a. Grant the Moluccans permission and protection so it can safely commemorate the birth of our country on
April 25, 2001 as a manifestation that we are determined to acknowledge and to uphold forever human rights in the Moluccas.
b. To pressure the government of Indonesia so they will instead serve as the mediator as well as facilitator in this festivity.
c. To recognize that this event represent a celebration of the sovereignty of R.M.S.
d. Direct and monitor the steps that need to be taken leading all the way to the preparation and execution of the planned ceremony.
e. Grant FKM a mandate and appoint her as the sponsor of the April 25 ceremony. If possible we hope to receive a response from by the 20th of this month.
In the name of the Maluku/ Alif'uru nation
Sincerely,
Alex Manuputty, MD
FKM Executive Chairperson
Hengky Manuhutu, SH
Secretary General
Semmy Waileruny, SH
Judicial Chairperson
