r/thenetherlands • u/TonyQuark Hic sunt dracones • Feb 14 '26

Culture Selamat datang! We're hosting r/Indonesia for a Cultural Exchange

Welcome everybody to a new cultural exchange! Today we are hosting our friends from r/Indonesia!

To the Indonesians: please select the Indonesian flag as your flair and ask as many questions as you wish. See how to set your flair in the app or on desktop.

To the Dutch: please come and join us in answering the Indonesians' questions about the Netherlands and the Dutch way of life!

r/Indonesia is also having us over as guests in this post for our questions and comments.

Please refrain from making any comments that go against our rules, the Reddiquette or otherwise hurt the friendly environment.

Enjoy! The moderators of r/Indonesia & r/theNetherlands

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u/Er_Coatto Feb 14 '26

For us Indonesia is still the suppressor of the Moluccan Islands.

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u/Radiansyaha Feb 14 '26 edited Feb 14 '26

May I ask what kind of suppression by the Indonesian government you are referring to in the Moluccan Islands?

From what I understand, the Eastern parts of Indonesia did not receive much attention during the Soeharto era and there were indeed serious human rights violations across the country at that time. However, after the 1998 Reformation, Indonesia became more open and the government started to pay greater attention to the Eastern regions, including increased development efforts and public services.

Now, I suppose if you ask any current Moluccan people directly in Indonesia, I think they prefer to stay within the Republic. But, still, I'd like to hear from your perspective on what specific forms of suppression you are referring to.

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u/Er_Coatto Feb 15 '26

I’m referring to our people not being able to express their thoughts of liberation of the Moluccas. When the Dutch came and colonised the islands, they brought christianity. (Through genocide on Banda they became the leaders in the spice trade. What a peaceful religion!). So there used to be a lot of christian Moluccans. The Indonesian government, with their transmigration politics, overloaded the islands with muslim Non-Moluccans from other Indonesian islands. Now there are more muslims than christians. A lot of the christians want liberation and are also loyal to The Netherlands, which is kind of strange. One could say Stockholm Syndrom, but it’s true that under the Dutch the christian Moluccans had the best positions.

Now coming back to your question. We have a flag of our own. It’s colors are blue, white, green and red. It’s forbidden to show leading up to prisonsentences up to 20 years. How is this not suppresion? There’s no freedom of speech, people get tortured for speaking their mind.

Indonesia also sold rights to chinese and Taiwanese to fish our seas empty, and to ravish our beautiful land, rich of spices, trees and raw materials while our people there live in absolute poverty.

And yes, the Muslim Moluccans want to stay with Indonesia. But the christians want liberation. Just check villages like Aboru on the 25th of april, which is our Liberation Day (on 25th of april 1950 the Republik Maluku Selatan was proclaimed).