Free South Moluccan Youths

Free South Moluccan Youths
  • Vrije Zuidmolukse Jongeren
  • Pemuda Masjarakat RMS
LeaderEtty Aponno[1]
Foundation1966
Allegiance South Moluccas
Active regionsNetherlands
IdeologyMoluccan nationalism
Notable attacks
List:
Opponents

The Free South Moluccan Youths[a][3] (FSMY) was a militant Moluccan youth organization with the declared goal of restoring the independence of the Republic of South Maluku (Indonesian: Republik Maluku Selatan, RMS) from Indonesia. The group was active in the Dutch Moluccan diaspora, and its members and factions committed various acts of nationalist terrorism in the Netherlands in the 1970s.[2]

History

The earliest action involving the FSMY was an arson attempt on the Indonesian embassy in Scheveningen on the night of 26–27 July 1966, in response to Indonesia's execution of the second president of the RMS, Chris Soumokil.[4] Damages were estimated at 75,000 guilders[5] and a total of 19 arrests were made.[6]

The group's first high-profile attack took place in 1970, after the announcement of a state visit of Indonesian President Suharto to the Netherlands. On the morning of 31 August,[7] 33 youths stormed the official residence of Indonesian Ambassador Taswin Almanik Natadiningrat in Wassenaar to take him hostage and demand a meeting between Suharto and Johan Manusama, the third president of the RMS.[8][9] Natadiningrat managed to escape, but policeman Hans Moolenaar was fatally shot during the attack.[10] The Moluccan youths then seized eight other people, including the ambassador's wife and two children.[4] After a 12-hour standoff, the group learned that Suharto had decided to postpone his visit and they surrendered to the police.[11] The attackers were sentenced to prison terms ranging from four months to three years.[9] A second attempt to kidnap the Indonesian ambassador on 25 April 1974 also failed because the ambassador was not at home.[12]

They went on to hijack trains in 1975 and 1977, engaged in two or three shootings, and had five aborted plans of kidnapping and hijackings.[13] Also in 1975, they attempted to kidnap Queen Juliana, but were arrested on the drive to Soestdijk Palace.[3] South Moluccan groups and the Dutch government signed a "peace treaty" in 1986.[14]

By the summer of 2000,[15] a new group calling itself the Free Moluccan Youths (Dutch: Vrije Molukse Jongeren, VMJ)[16] threatened Ministers Wim Kok, Jozias van Aartsen, and Roger van Boxtel with violence if they did not raise the issue of the Maluku sectarian conflict in Indonesia with the international community.[17][18] Two spokesmen for the group were arrested but released without charge after tensions among Dutch Moluccans eased.[19] The VMJ was also suspected of responsibility for arson attempts on Moordrecht town hall and Apeldoorn courthouse on the night of 16 August 1999.[20] In the years since, the group has limited itself to internet activism, flyering, and peaceful protest, such as a demonstration against King Willem-Alexander's presence at the unveiling of the Vossenbosch artwork in Wierden on 1 July 2022.[21]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Dutch: Vrije Zuidmolukse Jongeren (VZJ); Indonesian: Pemuda Masyarakat RMS, lit. 'Youth of the RMS Community', ER: Pemuda Masjarakat RMS (PMRMS)[2]

References

  1. ^ Brummelman, Wim (3 February 2000). "Vertekend beeld" [Distorted image]. NRC Handelsblad (in Dutch). NRC. Retrieved 14 February 2026.
  2. ^ a b Domestic Security Service (1973–1981). "Pemuda Masjarakat" (PDF) (in Dutch). Stichting Argus. Retrieved 12 January 2026.
  3. ^ a b de Graaf, Beatrice (20 May 2021). "Terrorism in The Netherlands: A History". In English, Richard (ed.). The Cambridge History of Terrorism. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 347. ISBN 9781108662628.
  4. ^ a b van der Mee, Tonny (29 August 2020). "Molukse gijzelingsactie in Wassenaar kwam voort uit wanhoop: 'Niemand luisterde naar ons'" [Moluccan hostage crisis in Wassenaar arose from desperation: "Nobody listened to us"]. Algemeen Dagblad (in Dutch). Retrieved 7 February 2026.
  5. ^ "Brand in Indonesische ambassade: Rijkspolitie arresteert acht Ambonezen" [Fire at Indonesian embassy: National Police arrest eight Ambonese]. Algemeen Handelsblad (in Dutch). NRC. 17 August 1966. Retrieved 7 February 2026.
  6. ^ "Indonesische ambassade: Twaalf Ambonezen bekennen brandstichting" [Indonesian embassy: Twelve Ambonese confess to arson]. Algemeen Handelsblad (in Dutch). NRC. 26 August 1966. Retrieved 7 February 2026.
  7. ^ Fijnaut 1992, pp. 57–58.
  8. ^ "De bezetting van Wassenaar (1970): Het verslag van minister-president en ex-commandant De Jong" [The occupation of Wassenaar (1970): The report of Prime Minister and ex-commander De Jong]. Parlement.com (in Dutch). Parlementair Documentatie Centrum. Retrieved 7 February 2026.
  9. ^ a b "Actie Wassenaar" [Wassenaar Action]. Onsland.nl (in Dutch). Museum Sophiahof. Retrieved 7 February 2026.
  10. ^ "Indonesian Rebels Kill Dutch Policeman in Storming Embassy in The Hague". The New York Times. The Hague. 1 September 1970. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  11. ^ Fijnaut 1992, p. 58.
  12. ^ Hoekman, Jacob (3 May 2010). "Het militaire begin: KNIL" [The military beginning: KNIL]. Reformatorisch Dagblad (in Dutch). Digibron. Retrieved 7 February 2026.
  13. ^ Fijnaut 1992, p. 59.
  14. ^ Fijnaut 1992, p. 62.
  15. ^ Croon, Mariël (29 August 2000). "Geweld Molukse jongeren dreigt" [Violence from Moluccan youths looms]. NRC Handelsblad (in Dutch). Rotterdam: NRC. Retrieved 8 February 2026.
  16. ^ van Klinken, J. (9 September 2000). "Moedeloos, machteloos, gefrustreerd: Rek is eruit bij Molukse gemeenschap, maar voor bomaanslagen is weinig draagvlak" [Despondent, powerless, frustrated: The Moluccan community is at its limit, but there is little support for bomb attacks]. Reformatorisch Dagblad (in Dutch). Digibron. Retrieved 8 February 2026.
  17. ^ Bessems, Kustaw (6 September 2000). "Dreigementen Molukse jongeren" [Threats from Moluccan youths]. Trouw (in Dutch). Retrieved 8 February 2026.
  18. ^ Heijmans, Toine (6 December 2001). "Er zijn grenzen, maar goed: Viva Maluku!" [There are limits, but sure: Viva Maluku!]. de Volkskrant (in Dutch). Retrieved 14 February 2026.
  19. ^ "Jonge Molukkers dreigen opnieuw met acties" [Young Moluccans threaten to take action again]. Trouw (in Dutch). 19 October 2000. Retrieved 8 February 2026.
  20. ^ "Molotovcocktail treft raadhuis van Moordrecht" [Molotov cocktail hits Moordrecht town hall]. de Volkskrant (in Dutch). 18 August 1999. Retrieved 8 February 2026.
  21. ^ "Molukkers demonstreren bij bezoek van de koning aan Wierden" [Moluccans demonstrate during the king's visit to Wierden] (in Dutch). RTV Oost. 1 July 2022. Retrieved 8 February 2026.
Bibliography
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