Ambon Wants None Of
p. 11 · Read in the full issue
Djakarta
Complex Background to Present Revolt
AUSTRALIA, which since Dr. Evatt’s term as Minister for External Affairs has had the role of little friend to all the world wished upon it, is currently being called upon by the Ambonese for help and sympathy, Ambon is at present in revolt against Djakarta, but so far the present Austra lian Government does not show any signs of throwing itself into the conflict, even though they have been appealed to in the name of fair play and other things which are supposed to be dear to the Australian heart.
To confuse the issue, Moscow Radio has recently espoused the cause of the Ambon rebels—perhaps as a disciplinary measure against the Nationalist Party at Djakarta in which a split is reported.
It is believed that a section of it favours a more anti-communist attitude, and collaboration with the West.
THE history of Ambon has always been turbulent, and viewed against the background of events since the Dutch first went there in the 16th cent urv. it is easy to understand why the Ambonese want no part of the Djakarta set-up.
In those centuries when spice was reck oned as one of the world’s richest com modities, the Dutch found Ambon, in the Moluccas, a veritable treasure house, rich in nutmeg, mace, cloves, etc. The natives, however, were not particularly co-opera tive and about one quarter of them were killed off in making them so.
Later they were converted by Protestant Dutch missionaries to Christianity, and were used by the Dutch to conquer the rest of Indonesia. Missionary enterprise out side of Ambon was later restricted by the Dutch, which has tended to produce an other cross-current in Indonesian affairs —it is said that many Roman Catholic missionaries, resentful of the restrictions placed upon their evangelism by the Dutch Administration, tended to support the Indonesian Nationalists.
The Javanese who remained Moslems, hated the Ambonese, not only on relig ious grounds, but because of their police role for the Dutch which lasted up to and bevond the recent Djkarta “struggle for independence.”
The Indonesian Republic blames the Dutch, of course, for most of their Am bon troubles —they say the Dutch should have restrained the Westerling variety of adventurer.