Reconciling the Republic of South Moluccas Movement with Indonesia Nation: A Christian perspective

Abstract

The Republic of the South Moluccas Movement was responsible for some rebellious attacks a few years after Indonesia proclaimed its independence. This movement made significant impact upon Indonesia as a nation. This research aims to explore how Christian perspective can reconcile the nation with this regional movement. To answer this question, this research relied on mass media, online news, books, and journals. Qualitative method was used to analyse the data. The results show that remembering the past even if painful can enable not only a nation but also a regional movement to transform the present. Besides, forgiveness is a way to embrace past memories, so people are able to create better future together. The nation is not perceived as the oppressor, and the Moluccan regional symbols are acknowledged as part of the national identity without branding them as separatist. The outcome is the stability of the nation of Indonesia.