III of X: Beyond the Religious Conflicts of North Maluku - Page 2

his submission to Portuguese rule. Tristian d'Ataido kidnapped Sultan Tabiriji and the King Mother, who were then forced to convert to Christianity. Upon his release, however, the Sultan disclosed the Portuguese strategy and retained his Islamic religion. This incident ignited Moslem solidarity sentiments of the people of Northern Maluku and hence a major outbreak of people rebellion.

Such an outbreak of war within all of Northern Maluku to Hitu and Seram recurred in 1570, when Sultan Hairun was murdered by Portuguese in a cunning and brutal way, during a peace agreement meeting. The Moslem allegiance and solidarity, which served as the driving force of the struggle against the Portuguese, later on advanced into the basis for the expansion of Islam to other regions. During the ruling of Sultan Baabulah, Ternate became the center of Islam proselytisation to South Philippines, along the coast of Central and North Celebes, and Sabah.

The presence of the Dutch, who shared similar motives with the Portuguese, later on had the same effects on the people of North Maluku. The people of North Maluku have indeed had a tradition of warfare and a deeply rooted resistance mechanism against external values.

After the Independence of Indonesia, the Sultanate Confederation of Northern Maluku under the reign of the Sultan of Ternate was conveyed local sovereignty in Eastern Indonesia. During RIS (Republik Indonesia Serikat/ the Indonesia Federation Republic) government, the Sultan of Ternate governed the State of Eastern Indonesia.

After that era, however, the dominant role of the sultanate as local government gave way to the current system of government, which prescribes that power be concentrated in the hands of the central government. The enactment of Law No.5/1974 regarding Fundamentals of Local Government and Law No.5/1979 regarding Village Government was the means by which the centralized system of government was implemented. The traditional social structure of North Maluku, which was based on the sultanate system of government and feudalism significantly, eroded as a result. Added to this are the appointments of local government officials who are not of local origin. As these changes take place, migrants continue to arrive.

So far, the local inhabitants of Northern Maluku have not been able to benefit from the exploitation of natural resources in their region, nor is there balance between the economic development of the region and the detriments caused by the exploitation of local natural resources, which they have suffered.

The scarcity of both formal and non-formal educational facilities is only one of the many symptoms of the region's underdevelopment. Many of those with strong interest for education pursue higher education in Java, where well educated native North Maluku people are more likely to be found than in their native land.