THE BLOODSHED IN NORTH : Roots, Escalation, and Reconciliation

USMAN1

Abstract This paper aims to explain the conflict on North Island or North Halmahera in 1999 to be more specific. When compared with the conflict in Ambon, the conflict in North Halmahera is much greater in terms of the number of victims and material losses. There are several factors that influenced the conflict such as politics, economics and religion. It seems that politics and religion were the dominant underlying factors of the conflict.At that time, the mass media did not report the conflict effectively, so that the resolution of the conflict came too late and the conflict escalated and spread to the entire region of . The most fundamental thing causing the conflict was associated with regional growth (pemekaran), namely the emergence of a new sub-district within the existing sub-district of Kao. The new sub-district was created by the , who are migrants from the island of Kie Besi in North Maluku. They pushed the government to establish a new sub-district of Makian Daratan within the sub-district of Kao. The Pagu people,natives to the area, rejected the regional growth. There was a demonstration that ended in a fight between the Pagu and the Makian. Coincidentally, most of the Pagu are Christian and all of theMakian areMuslim. This led to religious issues becoming a factor with certain parties. As a result, this was a horizontal conflict wrapped with religious issues. In terms of methodology, this paper was written using a qualitative approach that produces descriptive data about the conflicts in North Halmahera. The analysis of the field data was undertaken using some theories of conflict. As a conclusion it can be stated that the conflict in North Halmahera is basically a conflict of interest that is wrapped with religious issues. Keywords: horizontal conflict, North Halmahera, escalation, and regional growth.

Abstrak Artikel ini ingin menjelaskan tentang konflik yang terjadi di Pulau Maluku Utara, tepatnya di Halmahera Utara di tahun 1999. Jika dibandingkan dengan konflik yang terjadi di Ambon, konflik di Halmahera Utara jauh lebih besar karena banyaknya jumlah korban dan kerugian material. Ada beberapa faktor yang mempengaruhi konflik itu terjadi. Dari sekian faktor tampaknya faktor politik dan faktor agama menjadi hal dominan yang me­ latarbelakangi konflik itu terjadi. Pada saat itu, media massa kurang gencar melakukan reportase terhadap konflik tersebut, sehingga penyelesaian konflik menjadi terlambat dan konflik telah mengalami eskalasi dan tersebar ke seluruh wilayah Maluku Utara. Hal paling mendasar yang menyebabkan konflik itu terjadi terkait dengan peme­ karan wilayah, yaitu munculnya Kecamatan baru di wilayah Kecamatan Kao. Kecamatan baru itu diusung oleh orang-orang Makian yang notabene adalah para pendatang dari Pulau Kie Besi di wilayah Maluku Utara. Mereka mendorong pemerintah untuk menetapkan Kecamatan Makian Daratan yang letaknya berada di Kecamatan Kao. Orang-orang Pagu sebagai penduduk asli menolak pemekaran tersebut. Kemudian terjadi demonstrasi yang berakhir pada perkelahian antara orang Pagu dan Orang Makian. Secara kebetulan, sebagian besar orang Pagu beragama Kristen dan orang makian beragama Islam, maka isu-isu agama pun mulai dimainkan oleh pihak-pihak tertentu. Akibatnya, terjadilah konflik horizontal yang dibalut dengan isu agama. Dari segi metodologis, artikel ini ditulis dengan memakai pendekatan kualitatif yang menghasilkan data deskriptif tentang konflik horizontal di Halmahera Utara. Analisis terhadap data lapangan dilakukan dengan memakai beberapa teori konflik. Dapat ditarik simpulan bahwa konflik di Halmahera Utara pada dasarnya adalah konflik kepentingan yang dibalut dengan isu agama. Kata Kunci: konflik horizontal, Halmahera Utara, eskalasi, dan pemekaran wilayah.

1 Researcher at Research Center for Society and Culture, Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), Jakarta. . Email: [email protected] Copyright ©2016 The Author, ©2016 Deputy of Social Sciences and Humanities. All rights reserved. Printed in Indonesia. Journal of Indonesian Social Sciences and Humanities (JISSH); Vol. 6, Issue 2, (2016), Pp. 1-11. ISSN: 1979–8431. 2 JOURNAL OF INDONESIAN SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES (JISSH)

INTRODUCTION Thus, this paper will focus on three research questions. Firstly, what were the The conflict in North Halmahera took place in causes that led the bloody conflict in Northern 1999. It began in the Malifut sub-district and Halmahera? Secondly, how did the escalation spread to and other regions in North of the conflict take place? Thirdly, how did the Maluku. After the conflict the social conditions process of reconciliation work? became full of tension and distrust. This was triggered by a series of conflicts in North Halmahera in particular and North Maluku in APPROACH AND METHODS general. Some scholars have suggested that the This paper was written with a qualitative conflict in North Halmahera was a consequence approach that produces descriptive data. of the conflict in Ambon which happened on The data is based on a literature review and January 1999. (Chris Wilson, 2005: 70). The in-depth interviews with key informants from cause of the Ambon conflict wassimple: there the sub-districts of Kao, Malifut and others. The was a personal fight between an Ambon native data and findings of thefield trip was analyzed and a migrant from South . The conflict using some concepts proposed by theorists such then changed to the issue of religion between as R. Scott Appleby, Ashutosh Varshney, and Muslims and Christians. I will briefly explain Mohammad Zulfan Tadjoeddin. the dispute in Ambon with the hope of finding About peace building and reconciliation, the best solution to end Halmahera conflict. Tadjoeddin offers three hypotheses that can There have been disagreements among be used to analyze communal conflict in the the scholars about the real cause of the conflict. context of Indonesian civil society. He follows Some scholars believe that the conflict in a conceptual framework proposed by Ashutosh North Halmahera was due to the political Varshney,which is known as inter-communal issues of territorial extension. Christopher R. civic engagement. Then he develops his Duncan, for example, asserted that “the North conceptual framework considering the nature Halmahera conflict revolved around the passage of the Indonesian civil society, namely (a) the of government regulation No. 42/1999 that highly segregated setting of the community, (b) gives birth to a new sub-district Malifut for the the paternalistic structure of the society, and Makian in the Southern part of the sub-district (c) the fact that communal violence is usually Kao” (Christopher R. Duncan, 2005: 61; (Chris triggered by a clash at the individual level. (Tad- Wilson, 20015:70). Before the territorial exten- joeddin, 2004: 11). Finally, he proposes three civil sion period, people called Malifut as Sosol: society mechanisms; these are inter-communal a village belonging to the region of Kao. The civic engagement, self (community) policing, Makian rejected PP No. 42 for many reasons: and elite integration (Tadjoeddin 2004:1-2). politics, economy, and ethnic dominion. Tadjoeddin’s conceptual framework can be seen Therefore, no single reason caused the North in the diagram below. These three engagements Halmahera conflict. cannot be separated. These are the three There has never been a conflict purely engagements which will be used to analyze the caused by religion. Some conflicts, however, conflict in North Halmahera. manipulate the issue of religion so as to hurt Engagement is done among the elite (1) so another party. The North Halmahera conflict that they are integrated. This role is important is an example of this, which show how religious because they have the power to manage others. factors can make the fights bloodier. According Self-policing in a community is a basic start to Chris Wilson, “The bleeding of North to manage each group. Strong engagement in Halmahera led to the deaths of around 3000 a group and deescalating the conflict within victims, the internal displacement of 250000 thegroup is necessary (A and B). Afterwards people (mostly Makian) and the destruction of inter-communal engagement is undertaken as approximately 20000 houses, places of worship, a way to make peace in a broadercontext. This and other buildings.”(Chris Wilson, 2005:1). engagement can only be done once the elite THE BLOODSHED IN NORTH HALMAHERA... 3

A second incident happened in the same village on June 22 and 23, 1999. (Martin Budiman, 2009). It was a fight between Muslim and Christian youths. In this conflict a young person from the village of Talaga was killed. Residents immediately reported the incident to the security forces to control the situation. The conflict was successfully resolved, and it did not spread to other sub-districts. (Jan Nanere, 2000: 55-56). The following table shows the chronology of the conflict in West Halmahera:

Table 1: Conflict Escalation in West Halmahera *Source: Tadjoeddin, Mohamad Zulfan. “Civil Society Engagement and Communal Violence: Date Violence Place Victim Consequence Reflection on Various Hypotheses in the Context Middle Residents are The Village of No victims Religious senti- of Indonesia,” 2004. of June fighting. Talaga, Sub- ments increase. 1999 district Ibu, West Halma- hera regency. integration and self-policing have worked (2). June 22, Fights be- The market of No victims - Christian The elite and the masses also need to integrate. 1999 tween Mus- Talaga. residents were (3). Those engagements were attempted in lim (village angry. Northern Halmahera. It is a challenge to of Talaga) - Head of and Chris- Bataka’s village integrate after the conflict was deescalated. tian (village succeeds to of Bataka) overcome the youths. problem for a RESULT AND DISCUSSION while. Finding the Root of Conflict June 23, Attack on Bataka Village One person Security forces Impact of the Ambon Conflict 1999 Bataka vil- fromTalaga intervened to lage. killed. reconcile. The North Halmahera conflict cannot be sepa- * Nanere, Jan (et.al), Kerusuhan Maluku Seri Pertama: rated from the horizontal conflict in Ambon. Halmahera Berdarah, 2000. After a war between Islam and Christianity had broken out in Ambon, some residents from Based on Table 1, we can say that the Ambon went to , , Tobelo, North conflict in Halmahera was impacted from the and West Halmahera. They came to North conflict in Ambon, the incidents were limited to Maluku without creating any social unrest. one sub-district, and it also did not start other In addition to the refugees, natives from the conflicts in other sub-districts. In other words, island of Halmahera, who had lived in Ambon we can say that the scale of the conflict was very for several years, returned to their homes. narrow. This conflict did not spread to other For example, one Muslim man who had been sub-districts because they have lived together in living in Ambon went home to his village of harmony for decades. So, the religious issue did Talaga in West Halmahera where the majority not cause them to fight to each other. Besides, of residents are Muslim. After arriving at his the government responded quickly to this village, he told the story of conflict happened conflict and resolved it amicably. in Ambon. Some people felt angry because of Proposing a New Sub District the religious sentiments was dominant in these stories. As aresult, in the middle of June 1999, a According to Efrida Erna Ngato, the leader of small incident between some youths took place the ethnic Pagu, the North Maluku conflict was in the village of Talaga. There were no victims initially caused by the Makian who attacked the or material losses. (Jan Nanere, 2000) Pagu in the village of Sosol. The attack took place in August 1999. In the first attack, the 4 JOURNAL OF INDONESIAN SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES (JISSH)

Makian destroyed a number houses owned by Makian people, 2010). According to independent the Pagu. There were at least two people killed sources, the government often made repressive during this attack. The first victim was Elieser actions during this process of immigration. For Moumuo, who was the father of the village chief example, the military forced the inhabitants to of Sosol. The second victim was Eras Dodowol. move to the North Halmahera Island as soon as Other sources claimed that in the first attack they possibly could. Of course, the government there were two more people killed, namely: had built the infrastructure facilities such as BernarToloa and Hanok Lasa. (Jan Nanere, housing and land for the Makian to live. Those 2000: 58). local transmmigrants could possess a piece After the first incident, the Pagu people of land approximately 1 to 3 acres. The local living in other villages were frightened. They transmigration program lasted approximately gathered and fled to Kao sub-district. They 5 years. moved to Kao because it has a port that could After moving to North Halmahera Island, let them escape by sea. By this time, the the Makian interacted with the native residents land was fully controlled by the Makian. It is of the area. Practically speaking, there were no important to note here that Kao sub-district was serious problems when they interacted with mostly inhabited by Muslims from a Kao ethnic the native people. The number of Makian background. When the Pagu fled to Kao, it was immigrants was so huge that they occupied clear that the conflict was not purely religious. in seventeen villages. Administratively they Furthermore, Ms. Ngato explained that were under the control of the sub-district Kao. the conflict was triggered by the government’s From 1975 until 1998 there was no serious territorial extension. (Interviews, 2013). The conflict between the Makian and the native Government Regulation of PP No. 42 of 1999 ethnics such as the Pagu, Modole, Boeng or regulates a new sub-district named Makian Towiliko (Interview with Makian people, 2010). Daratan. Before the territorial extension, this According to Makian sources, at the beginning region had 22 villages, five of them inhabited of local transmigration program, the Makia ns by the natives, and 17 others inhabited by the met native ethnics who still inhabited in the Makians. Talking about identity, the Makian forests. In 1975 there were still many native are divided into two categories; West Makian ethnics in the Malifut area living in the forests and East Makian. Although they believe in the with no permanent houses. same religion, they speak in different languages. Social interactions between the Makian West Makian people speak a non-Austronesian and the Pagu encouraged the Pagu to build language while East Makian people speak an permanent houses. In other words, the Pagu Austronesian language. To communicate with learned many things from the Makian. On each other, Makian people use the popular one hand the Pagu gave a lot to the Makian, LinguaFranca, which is considered as the Malay on the other hand, the Makian taught the . Pagu how to build houses, how to cultivate The first arrival of the Makian in North the land for plantations, and how to increase Halmahera Island began in 1975 when the North the productivity of land. The long peaceful Maluku provincial government issued a policy interaction between the immigrants and the to send Makian people from Makian Island to natives brought positive impacts on both sides. North Halmahera Island. These displacements For example, the Pagu gave the Makian a chance were due to the eruption of Mount Kie Besi to cultivate their land for free. The Makian did located on Makian Island. Besides, North not want to take advantage of this by cheating Halmahera Island needed more people to work the Pagu (Interview with Makian people, 2010). on the developing plantations owned by the The Makian’s work ethos and better skills Makian. Through this local transmigration led them to greater success in economic life program, all Makian people from Makian Island compared with the native ethnics. Their success were sent to North Halmahera. (Interview with was reflected by the amount of land owned by THE BLOODSHED IN NORTH HALMAHERA... 5 the Makian. On average,one Makian person had government issued PP No. 42/1999 (Interview 3 hectares. Some of them already owned more with Makian people, 2010). than 30 hectares. From this, we can calculate Unfortunately, the native ethnics rejected their economic income because their land is PP No. 42/1999. They thought that it was im- very productive. For instance, they grew copra possible for the Makian to have a sub-district and together in the same plantation, or in North Halmahera Island because it was they planted copra and nutmeg together in not legal. The first reason to reject PP No. other plantations. In brief, the Makian’s rapid 42/1999 was the name of the new sub-district, economic development required a new sub- Makian Daratan. Some people thought the new district to support the momentum. Therefore, name suggested issues of identity and ethnic they proposed to the government to form a new dominion. Tensions began to increase gradually sub-district, Makian Daratan. In the beginning, (Interview with the leader of the Pagu people). the government did not agree with this idea, but Table 2 shows the map of conflict escalation the Makian’s strong political lobbies made the caused by the presence of the new sub-district:

Table 2: The conflict escalation in North Halmahera

Date Violence Place Victims Consequence 1982 Fighting among residents. Malifut Victims killed on both Peaceful agreement sides. based on tradition laws. March Some Makian students helda The DPRD office No victims. DPRD gave no atten- 1999 demonstration to protest the of Ternate. tion. new sub-district. March Another demonstration by The sub-district No victims. Both sides felt angry. 1999 the Makian. of Kao. March The Pagu destroyed some Malifut No victims. The Makians were 1999 symbols of new sub-district. angry. It is the trigger of the conflict. August 18, The Makian attacked the Sosol Four people killed The Pagus were angry. 1999 Pagu. It is the beginning of (Elieser Moumou, Eras conflict violence. Dodowol, BernarToload- an, &Hanok Lasa). Some Pagu houses destroyed. August 19, Another attack by the Ma- Sosol and Wan- Incendiarism. Jihad is called from 1999 kian. geotak the mosque. The Pagu moved to Kao. August 20, The Pagu, supported by other Kao No victims. Preparation to coun- 1999 native ethnics from West and terattack. East Kao, protect their terri- tory from the Makian.

The late Sultan of Ternate stopped Malifut Dozen people killed The Pagu forced August the Pagu for attacking the from both sides. Sultan to send the 1999 Makian. Makian out of Malifut. November The Pagu, supported by other Malifut and Kao Thousand killed. Makian moved to 1999 native ethnics from West and Ternate Island and East Kao, attacked the Makian other islands in North They brought machetes, Maluku. spears, arrows, bombs, guns and stone. It was the peak of violence in North Halmahera diffusing over many regions in North Maluku.

** Nanere, Jan (et.al), Kerusuhan Maluku Seri Pertama: Halmahera Berdarah, 2000. 6 JOURNAL OF INDONESIAN SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES (JISSH)

Analysis of Conflict Escalation up from light to heavy. The stone throwing at The seed of social unrest began to grow when the church was retaliated by the burning of a the Governor issued a government regulation, house. The small incident of stone throwing PP No 42, in 1999, that arranged aterritorial at the church intensified into looting of shops. extension of Malifut. Five villages declared not The escalation of tensions transformed from to fuse with the new territory of Makian specific to general: stone throwing at a church Daratan for many reasons. One main reason was transformed into communal religious conflict. that they questioned the change of name from (Martin Budiman, 2009: 16). Kao Raya to Makian Daratan. The government The labeling of the Christian group as the passed the regulation as it knew that Makian red, ‘obet’, and of the Muslim group as white, people already owned most of the area. (Chris ‘acang’ showed the escalation of conflicts Wilson, 2005: 70). had transformed from winning to hurting. In June 1999 demonstrations to protest this (Interview with Makian, 2010). At this stage of regulation took place several times. The new escalation, human beings were not considered name hurt the local people’s identity. They were as God’s unique creations any longer. They were not ready to lose their land. As transmigrants, put together from a distance as an enemy with the Makians worked very hard for years. Thus, no names, and no rights to exist. This iscalled they were successful in many kinds of business. deindividuation where human beings are When they had owned a lot of land and proper- considered as non-living objects (enemies) that ties, they proposed to name their land with can be eliminated. Once people are deindividu- Makian Daratan. It was during this unrest when ated they seem less human than those who are many Christian refugees came from Ternate individuated. Deindividuation was probably and Tidore. These refugees brought the stories at work in an experiment by Milgram (1974). of religious conflicts from their hometowns. Deindividuation is analternative process in Tensions between Christians and Muslims were the circle of conflict escalation. It is useful for escalating. Forkom Pemuda Kristen Halmahera people to legitimize and to rationalize their dan Gemahilo (Forkom PKH, Christian Youth initial contentious moves or to justify violence Forum of Halmahera) suggested that the ethnics to others. of Makian, and Tidore leave Tobelo to Then comes antagonism that manifests in avoid conflicts. Head of the sub-district of the forms of anger, prejudice, and negative at- Tobelo, however, rejected the idea saying that ‘a titudes. As antagonism tends to be reciprocated, provocateur from outside’ had arrived at Tobelo. the act of hurting enemies transforms from few (Martin Budiman, 2009). to many. The act of hurting enemies went wider It is interesting to examine how the because the legitimacy of security forces was incumbent political leaders and the security weak. The police and the ground forces were forces led tensions to grow among residents. not able to stabilize the situation. In a formal Provocateurs brought the tension further with meeting of November 3, 1999, Musriyono Nabiu the distribution of intimidating pamphlets criticized the unfruitful works of the security among residents. The pamphlets tell Christians forces by saying, ‘With 350 friends of mine I am to stay at home because there will be a bloody ready to take over the responsibility to restore Christmas night. Other pamphlets tell Muslims Tobelo to peace.’ (Jan Nanere, 2000). to be watchful of the Christian attacks coming The arrival of Laskar Jihad, a Muslim militia very soon. (Martin Budiman, 2009: 15). group, in Tobelo made the situation worse. The When the tension between Christians conflicts focused on religious aspects. A story and Muslims was high, the ‘provocateurs’ of three women from Halmahera who received threw stones at a church on December 26, God’s message to attack Muslims was widely 1999. (Interview with Ms. Ngato). A series of told among Christians (Interview with Pagu conflicts took place on the following three days people, 2010). When religion plays a role in a as tensions began to escalate. The conflicts grew conflict, they will make the dispute will become THE BLOODSHED IN NORTH HALMAHERA... 7 more devastating because religions create blind 4) The labeling of Christian group as the obedient people. The following situations in red, ‘obet’ and of Muslim group as the Halmahera made violence take place easily: white, ‘acang’ 1) There were no established procedures to The role of either political or religious mediate the conflicts leaders is of utmost importance in creating 2) There were no rules to prevent pre- peace in the community. People do not need a emptive behaviors political leader. What they need is a wise leader 3) There was no sense of community who can create peace for different people of many ethnicities and religions. It is essential The inability of political, religious and to cultivate the social capital to prevent rumor, ethnic leaders to mediate the conflict at its tensions and conflicts. The social capital con- earliest stage brought their people to conflicts sists of effective channels of communication, at an increasing speed. Why the security an integrative climate and an effective system Laskar leader of PHH Yonef 512 Brawijaya let of dispute settlement. Just economic structures Jihad to enter Tobelo was still a big question and a critical number of peace building leaders for many people. That controversial decision are also required. led the Jakarta headquarters to change the security leader of PHH Yonef 512 Brawijaya. No political, religious or ethnic leaders organized DEESCALATION, RECONCILIATION any movements to reconcile. No mediators AND PEACE BUILDING had the capability to bring the two groups to The Role of the Communal Leaders and a peaceful agreement. Hatred and retaliations Civil Society obscured the localwisdom of bahiriono (help each other), soloha (give to each other) and During the conflict, many people and leaders higaro (negotiation). were involved in the conflict. Post-conflict, many leaders and people from different Community settlements inherited from elements of society tried to deescalate the the Dutch colonialism separated Christians situation. Deescalating the conflict needed from Muslims. Living in separate neighbor- engagement among many individuals who hoods made social engagement difficult. It is had taken part in the conflict. It also needed a clear then why tensions and conflicts easily neutral figure or group to be a mediator. Many emerge. Varshney (2001) says that civic engage- factors deescalated the conflict in North Ma- ment between two communities is the most luku. The most important aspect was the role important aspect of eliminating tensions and of the leader. As a communal society, people in conflicts. North Maluku have their leaders. These leaders From the explanation above it can be belong to different groups based on ethnicity, seen that it is impossible for us to find the religion, and civilian activities. These leaders provocateur behind the conflict of Halmahera. played a major role in deescalating the conflict There have been many opinions and analysis and peacebuilding. that are opposing to one another. Both Muslims and Christians, however, agree that there was a The Role of Religious Leaders provocateur during the conflicts. The following Some religious leaders took part in the conflict; facts assure their opinions: however they also performed a significant role 1) The story of three women from Halma- in reconciliation and peace building. Ms. Efrida hera who received God’s message to Erna Ngato said that the role of the pastor in the attack the Moslems Church and imam in the Masjid were significant 2) The distribution of mini Bibles as a in deescalating the conflict. She remembered mascot during the conflicts during the conflict there were many people still 3) The distributions of pamphlets that praying together in the Church or Christian intimidate both Christians and Muslims houses. Pastors repeated the significance of 8 JOURNAL OF INDONESIAN SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES (JISSH)

forgiveness and peace. Imam in the Masjid also from came to Maluku some months later. demanded Muslims forgive and make apeaceful They attacked Christians in many places so reconciliation (Interview with Ms. Ngato, 2013). the situation worsened. The conflict escalated “During prayers my pastor always said, again. (Jan Nanere, 2000). ‘every day we pray a prayer that Jesus taught Local government, together with religious us, forgive us our sin as we forgive those who leaders and NGOs tried to reconcile people. The sin against us.’ This time is a time to test our local government finally found a good way to faith: are we brave enough to forgive people reconcile people from different background who against us as we pray.” (Interview with and ages. Maluku, especially Halmahera has Ms. Ngato, 2013). According to Mrs. Efrida, this plenty of high quality bamboo. The people invitation had astrong impact on the Christian of Halmahera are also well known for their people. Since the prayer and the advice to expertise of plaiting. They are very good at forgive others was heard, people, step by step, making souvenirs and many kinds of tools from calmed down and changed their inner heart. bamboo. They can make kitchen sets, hats and Deep down in people’s heart, forgiveness was other souvenirs. growing. Many people did not want the conflict The local government tried to gather to happen again. The preaching of the imams in people and asked them to make plaiting bamboo Masjids also asked Muslims to forgive and make their handicraft. Many people from many dif- efforts towards peace building. Religious leaders ferent backgrounds gathered as a group to plait were together looking for peace. bamboo. Many housewives, young people, and Religious leaders, together with local men gathered to plait bamboo. These occasions government and ethnic leaders, tried to make effectively made them became creative and relax gatherings among the people in conflict to meet because they were in a brotherhood with others. and greet. Meetings and having a meeting in a The plaited bamboo was sold to others. brotherhood are ways to reduce high tempered The local government helped them to make and situations and conflict. These sessions gradually sell their handicrafts in many places even on become good strategies to build friendship and other islands. These economic activities helped reconciliation among the people. In some places people earn an income after many markets and where wars occurred between two groups, such fields were smashed because of the conflicts. as the Districts of Ibu, Loloda, Bacan, , and , many meetings were held. The Role of Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) The Role of Government Leaders There were several Non-Government Orga- In 2000, the President of Indonesia gave a nizations (NGOs) in Maluku and Halmahera special task to the Vice President to build during and after conflicts. They tried to help peace and reconciliation in Maluku and North victims. There were two NGOs which played Maluku. The Vice President (Megawati Sukarno important roles in reconciliation and peace Putri) came to Maluku to reconcile the two building in Halmahera. They were World Vision groups who were engaged in conflict. The Vice International Indonesia (WVII) and the United President visited Ternate, , Tobelo, and States of America of Indonesia Development Kao. She appealed to the people to reconcile (USAID). WVII focused on helping with the and make peace. She said without reconcili- emergency needs of victims, such as food, ation Maluku, which had been developed for clothes, and medicine. USAID helped victims centuries would collapse. Many people received to rebuild houses, by giving materials such as her appeals. Two groups from the Muslim and cement, nails, roofing, and wood. These aids Christian communities in Mamuya and Tobelo were critical to the victims during and after the accepted her invitation very well. Although conflict because many people lost their homes the visit of the Vice President had a positive and did not have any food to eat. impact in building reconciliation, Jihadists THE BLOODSHED IN NORTH HALMAHERA... 9

The Role of Grassroots People and Cultural Rubin say there are five strategies people use to Strategies engage with a conflict. These are contending, During theconflict, many people from Halma- inaction, yielding, withdrawing, and problem- hera and other islands tried to help victims and solving (Pruit 2003:130). Looking at the case of create reconciliation. One of the significant stalemate and de-escalation in North Maluku, efforts was the founding of groups which we can see that some groups who were fighting promoted reconciliation and peace building. during the conflict and trying to kill others There were several groups which were founded also sought to withdraw from the situation. and gave different contributions to peace The Makian people after being attacked were building and reconciliation. Two such groups physically removed from the conflict area. They were Forkom PKH and Lembaga Ketahanan moved to other places, even though they were Masyarakat Halmahera (LKMH) who promoted still fighting with the Pagu. a program called Halmahera Baku Dapa, a After the conflict, people tried finding gathering of Halmahera’s People. However, a problem solving solution together. Com- those two groups did not play a very important munication and contact between many people role in reconciliation because they only suc- from different backgrounds was needed. This ceeded increating gatherings among Christians. is critical to resolving issues. Pruit says that Before making gatherings with Christians and communication and contact enable people to Muslims, situations became worse after the understand others. However, it is not easy to coming of the Jihadists. achieve communication and contact. As Forkom Cultural strategies effectively deescalated PKH and LKMH did when they tried to call a theconflict. Sometimes stories can bond rela- gathering. People were not ready to meet and tionships. Many people of Halmahera believe communicate. They were still suspicious and they originally came from one big family in distrusted one another. They also saw these Talaga Lina (Telaga Lina). Their ancestors gatherings as having a hidden agenda. Com- once lived in Talaga Lina and stayed in “a big munication and contact to build peace and stop home” called Hibua Lamo. This belief has often conflict needs other solutions. Communication been told. Hibua Lamo and Talaga Lina were is not effective when people are still distrustful. promoted again by many people from grassroots Civil Society Engagement in Peace Building and from community leaders. Some groups and local governments tried to use this story, but Looking at the ways communal leaders and people saw that the initiative was from above or grassroots people built peace and deescalated by the leaders. People became suspicious about the conflict, we can see that several methods whether their leaders were using their support were used in post conflict North Maluku. Tad- for their own personal gain, such as for the joeddin mentions there are three civil society extension of the district North Halmahera from mechanisms; these are intercommoned civic the province of North Maluku to the Province engagement, self (community) policing, and of North Sulawesi. Hibua Lamo was effective at elite integration (Tadjoeddin 2004:1-2). building one identity among people who were in The first mechanism of engagement in conflict. They saw others as their brother again. North Maluku was self or community policing. Eventually, people could meet other groups Communal leaders, especially religious leaders without fighting (S.S. Duan, 2008: 51). created public policies not to fight and pushed them to forgive and create peacebuilding. As the SYNTHEZING DEESCALATION AND imams and pastors did, they talked about forgive- PEACE BUILDING ness and peace building. This self-community policing, as Varshney states, is important to Stalemate and De-escalation de-escalate theconflict. This engagement was Stalemate and de-escalation of the conflict exercised by elders, community organizations grew because of various reasons. Pruit and and the public (Tadjoeddin 2004:5). Community 10 JOURNAL OF INDONESIAN SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES (JISSH)

policing was also established in North Maluku them suspicious of one another. They were also through the story about one big house or Hibua differentiated by their tribes; one is Makian and Lamo. Hibua Lamo (the Big House) is a place the other is Pagu. These tribes have different that is often used by the public of Tobelo to interests and politica laspects which broadened hold a meeting to discuss matters concerning the conflict into an ethnic one. Later on, their the community of North Halmahera. It is the religion became their identity. This conflict place for making and formulating policies and then became areligious conflict. The escalation norms to be followed by communities in order increased because many people from outside to get harmony and peace. Another function came and made religion the reason to fight. of the Hibua Lamo is as a place to resolve any De-escalation and peacebuilding was issues encountered or experienced by the not easy because the causes of the escalation communities of Tobelo. Recently Hibua Lamo were varied. The role of communal leaders became the basis of the reconciliation process were important in deescalating the conflict based on traditional values. It had a significant and peacebuilding. Communal leaders, such contribution to the realization of reconciliation as religious leaders, local government leaders between the two warring factions. In a relatively and ethnic leaders played a significant role. short time refugees from some areas were able The de-escalationand the consolidation of to return home without having to wait for peace required both intracommunal and the government program of returning IDPs intercommunal solutions. First, communal (internally displaced persons). leaders themselves had to agree to de-escalate The intercommunal civic engagement was the conflict. Afterwards, self or internal policing established in North Maluku after the conflict. played important role In deescalating clashes Communal leaders and NGOs tried to make within each group. The communal leaders intercommunal meetings. This engagement were important to achieve self-policing within was not only about making communication each cluster. Self-policing, then continued by and contact but they also sought to make intercommunal engagement. All engagement people in conflict met and work together, for tried to de-escalate the conflict. After many example plaiting bamboo. Intercommunal civic years the conflict has ended, it was a challenge engagement made people meet and see others as to rebuild trust among people. their partner. Elite integration supported these engagements. Communal leaders, including REFERENCES government leaders, united to push people into Abrahms, Max. (2008).What terrorists really want: building peace and reconciliation. Terrorist motives and counterterrorism strategy. International Security 32 (4), 78-105. CONCLUSION Al Qurthuby, Sumanto. (2012). Indonesia’s Religious Conflict and Grassroots Agency for Peace. Looking at the conflict of NorthMaluku, we can Peace Research, 44/2, 135-162. see that many aspects escalated the conflict, Amal, M. Adnan. (2013). Tobelo Tempo Doeloe. which was a horizontal conflict. The escalation Halmahera Utara: Dinas Pariwisata dan was not only caused by religious issues but by Kebudayaan Kabupaten Halmahera Utara. many social aspects. It was related to local politi- Appleby, R. Scott. (2012). Religious Violence: The cal decisions, the conflict in Ambon and the role Strong, the Weak, and the Pathological. of provocateurs, who had their own reasons to Practical Matters, 5, 1-25 escalate the dispute. The causes of the conflict Appleby, R. Scott. (2000). The Ambivalence of the were interconnected and made situation worse. Sacred: Religion, Violence, and Reconciliation. In short, the conflict escalated and divided Rowman & Littlefield. people into their identities. Political reasons Barron, Patrick, Azca Muhammad Najib & Susdi- about the extension of territory made people narjanti, Tri. (2012). Seusai Perang Komunal: divide into groups with different interests. It Memahami Kekerasan Pasca-Konflin di In­ donesia Timur dan Upaya Penanganannya. was economic and political reasons which made THE BLOODSHED IN NORTH HALMAHERA... 11

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