Republic of South Maluku
| Republic of South Maluku Republic of the South Moluccas |
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Republik Maluku Selatan Republiek der Zuid-Molukken |
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Unrecognized state Government in exile since 1963 |
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.png) Territory claimed by the Republic of South Maluku.
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| Capital | Ambon | |||||||||
| Capital-in-exile | Unspecified (Netherlands) | |||||||||
| Government | Republic | |||||||||
| Presidenta | ||||||||||
| • | April–May 1950 | Johanis Manuhutu | ||||||||
| • | 1950–1966 | Chris Soumokil | ||||||||
| • | 1966–1992 | Johan Manusama | ||||||||
| • | 1993–2010 | Frans Tutuhatunewa | ||||||||
| • | 2010–present | John Wattilete | ||||||||
| History | ||||||||||
| • | Established | April 25, 1950 | ||||||||
| • | Disestablished | December 1963 | ||||||||
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| a. | In exile since 1966. | |||||||||
The Republic of South Maluku (Indonesian: Republik Maluku Selatan, (RMS) Dutch: Republiek der Zuid-Molukken), also known as the Republic of the South Moluccas, was a self-proclaimed republic in the Maluku Islands founded on 25 April 1950. The main islands were Seram, Ambon, and Buru. After the defeat of the RMS on Ambon by Indonesian forces in November 1950, the self-declared RMS government withdrew to Seram, where armed struggle continued on Seram until December 1963. A government in exile was formed in the Netherlands in 1966 after resistance leader Dr. Chris Soumokil was captured by Indonesian forces on Seram and executed. The government-in-exile continues to exist, with , a 55-year-old lawyer, inaugurated as head of state in April 2010.
The Indonesian archipelago consists of over 15,000 islands. Dutch conquest exerted colonial control across the archipelago in the 19th century establishing a unitary administration. The borders of present-day Indonesia were formed through colonial expansion finalised in the 20th century. After the occupation by the Japanese Empire during World War II ended in 1945, nationalist leaders on Java unilaterally declared Indonesian independence. Not all regions and peoples of present-day Indonesia immediately subscribed to the proclaimed Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia. Early organised indigenous resistance came from the South Moluccas with support and aid from the Dutch Government and Military. The South Moluccan rebels initially clung on to an early post-colonial treaty prescribing a federal form of statehood. When that treaty, agreed between the Dutch government and the Indonesian government in December 1949, was broken, they unilaterally declared a fully independent Republic of the South Moluccas (April 1950) hoping to achieve an autonomous state. The South Moluccan leaders based their decision on the treaty, which stipulated autonomy for each of the states of the federation.
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