Social-Ecology Crisis in Maluku (The Moluccas)

-a Timeline Review-

Mausu Ane

Mausu Ane is a hunting-gathering tribal community who lives in central north-coast of

Seram Island. Native Moluccan call Seram Island as their Nusa Ina (Mother Island). Mausu
Ane tribe is the last nomadic native community in Maluku. Since the European colonials
came to the island, most people of Seram Island who use to be live in traditional way like
Mausu Ane start inhabiting the coastal villages, and few of them stays in villages settled in
higher ground. The European colonials, especially the Dutch then administratively integrate
these villages into colonial system.

Not too long after the proclamation of independent of the Republic of Indonesia on August
17th 1945, the Moluccas region also being integrated to the territory of Indonesia. On April
25th 1950, peoples in the central to southern islands of Maluku, through a Peoples Council
named Dewan Maluku Selatan (South-Moluccas Council), proclaimed an independent state
of Maluku Selatan in republic format (Republik Maluku Selatan/RMS), seceded from the
Republic of United States of Indonesia and the Federal State of East Indonesia. By that
time, the Mausu Ane tribe’s area also become a guerilla battle ground for the RMS troops
resistance (APRMS) vs the military force of the United States of Indonesia (APRIS). The
guerilla resistance then being put out in 1965, and it brings trauma to the Mausu Ane
peoples.

In 1960’s, Indonesia government made an umbrella act for forestry regulations and spatial
planning. The National Act defined the forest that has been owned and which has been
used by the indigenous peoples (Hutan Adat), were included as state-owned forest. Later
on 2012, the regulation is deregulate by the Constitutional Court with the commonly known
as MK 35 resolution. But the verdict didn’t automatically give acknowledgement to the
forest ownership rights of the indigenous peoples. Among all indigenous peoples in Maluku,
the Mausu Anes are the most negatively affected tribal community by the Umbrella Act.

In 1970’s the Indonesian government start the transmigration program. Bringing farmers
and other low working class from Java Island to other islands. Transmigration start coming
to Maluku in 1972. The first island to be settled by the transmigrants is Seram Island,
specifically on the north coast of Mausu Ane habitat. Since then, the Mausu Ane gradually
starts to leaving their hunting-gathering life and combine it with traditional cultivation
methods. Their garden produces are for daily consumption but also to be monetized. But
this change on methods of living also didn’t go along smoothly without challenge. In
conjunction with the transmigration program, the government also started to give logging
concession to some corporates.

In 1999, when whole archipelago of Maluku were directly affected by the horizontal conflict,
the Mausu Ane was the only community which didn’t. But when the conflict calm down in
2005, indigenous peoples habitat become more and more exploited. This over exploitation
of living sphere of indigenous peoples were caused by land concessions that has been given
by the government of Indonesia to the several huge corporations.
Below this are the big event of crisis in Mausu Ane community that we have gather in a
timeline of facts;

1. September 2015 :
- wild fire started in Seram Island, during dry season in the region and other area in
Indonesia.
- For particular North Seram area (Mausu Ane habitat), the wild fire was indicated as
by design, for expansion of palm oil plantation.
- The palm oil plantation in North Seram was started to operate in 2009
- Peoples from other area and the church were helping the Mausu Ane and other
surrounding village that was impacted by the wild fire. The local government also
send its team to the site.

2. July 2018
- Early of the month, the chief of Maneo Rendah Village, which is the administrative
village of Mausu Ane Peoples, are reporting the deceased of an elder in Mausu Ane
to the Central Maluku Regent Government. On the report, the chief mentioned the
cause of the dead was starvation because of famine in Mausu Ane community, as an
long effect of the wild fire in 2015.
- Late of the month, the media report on the deceased of the Mausu Ane. But on the
report, it was said 3 persons was died, caused by the famine. Media also report that
the regent government already sent its team to inspect and made an assessment on
the condition.

3. August 2018
- First week of the month, a network of journalist went to the site to cover the story.
The journalists met some Mausu Ane family in the refugee camp built by the
government and military forces. A journalist report that she met a navy general
come to the site directly from Jakarta. The place were also full with army personals
who brings instant packaged meals and prepare to build a permanent settlement for
the Mausu Ane. The journalist also witness that the navy general instructed his
subordinates to gather Mausu Ane signature as an agreement to be resettled. The
journalists group then find a way to meet Mausu Ane family who are still live on their
genuine habitat. They witness that the Mausu Ane are still gather their crops and it
didn’t show a condition of famine. An interview with a Mausu Ane women also opens
a fact that the Mausu Ane are prohibit by their tradition to leave their forest. The
Mausu Ane have their own consciousness on protecting their living sphere.
- Second week of the month, the journalists network starts to publish their report on
Mausu Ane case. They also interviewed some stakeholders in provincial stage, starts
from Indigenous Peoples Rights activist to the head of Human Rights National
Commission. All of them state to refuse the resettlement plan. By that time also
uncovered by the media that there is a logging concession, that the permit has been
granted by the government, that will take the area of living sphere of Mausu Ane.
The permit was released in 2012.
- Third week of the month, most of the Mausu Ane which use to be at the refugee
camp has already went back to the forest. The army start to open an area for the
resettlement near transmigration and palm oil plantation.
- Fourth week of the month, the regent government confirm its plan to resettle the
Mausu Ane, but still deny that the resettlement is closely link with land grabbing
concessions that has been operating on the area and that will come soon.
The “illegal“ concessions on Maluku (red is land- and yellow are the sea-concessions).

Map of HTI Concession on Mausu Ane territory (brown with white outline). Small part of
existing palm oil plantation.