#
Greetings from Middelburg: motorbikes for the Moluccas
Every year on 12 April an enormous procession of motorbikes roars through the Netherlands: the Peringatan Ride Out, a motorcycle tour in memory of mr. dr. Chris Soumokil, former president of the Republic of the South Moluccas (RMS). The ride draws attention not only to the struggle for a free Moluccas, but also to the Moluccan political prisoners and the plundering of the islands. Semmarti Lumalessil rode along for the third time this year and explains why this day means so much to him and to many others.
The Day of Heroes
For many Moluccans in the Netherlands, 12 April is an important day: Hari Pahlawan, the Day of Heroes. On this date in 1966, mr. dr. Chris Soumokil was executed. For years he led the struggle for an independent RMS, separate from Indonesia. The RMS government in exile declared 12 April a day to remember everyone who gave their life for this struggle. "On this day we make our engines heard," Semmarti says. "The road is ours for a moment and everyone has to wait. For me that is symbolic of the way we are still waiting for a free South Moluccas."
The meaning of the Ride Out
For many, the Peringatan Ride Out is a moment of commemoration and awareness. "There are motorbike enthusiasts who simply enjoy a good day out, but for us it goes much deeper," Semmarti explains. "We remember 'opa Chris', the late president of the RMS, but we also reflect on what is happening in the Moluccas now: the deforestation for palm oil plantations, the nickel mining for big companies, the political prisoners. With the Ride Out we draw attention to these things and show: we are still here." This year the ride started in Middelburg and went via Breda and Dordrecht to Krimpen aan den IJssel. At every stop the RMS flag was raised and participants spoke about the current situation. The proceeds of the ride go to projects supporting the fight against human rights violations in the Moluccas and West Papua, and to initiatives that peacefully resist the exploitation of Moluccan lands.
A personal mission
For Semmarti the Ride Out is a way of honouring his upbringing and his heritage. "The struggle for a free RMS was instilled in us from infancy. In the old days I knew nothing else than that Chris Soumokil was our president," he says. His family history is deeply rooted in the RMS movement: his father Johnny Lumalessil took part in the Wassenaar action in 1970, his father's younger brothers were involved in the occupation of the Indonesian Consulate in Amsterdam and the train hijacking at De Punt. His grandfather Ino Lumalessil was a KNIL soldier and his other grandfather Semuel Metiarij an army chaplain and a leading figure within the Moluccan interest organisation Badan Persatuan. At the same time the Ride Out has also become a fine tradition. "I ride every year together with my family. Brothers, cousins, uncles. Everyone has a busy life, but for this we make the time. That is a very good thing."
Hope for the future
Semmarti also sees the Ride Out as an investment in the future. "Our history is barely told. Not at school, not in the media," he says. "Many people still do not know why there are Moluccans in the Netherlands. If we do not make ourselves visible, people forget us." Semmarti hopes that future generations will experience the freedom their forebears fought for. "I go to the Moluccas regularly. When I sit on the veranda there I think: how I can enjoy myself here. I sit here in my shorts, hear the silence, but also life with a bit of music here and there. Then I think: if only my grandparents could have sat here too. Really enjoying their lives. I wish that for everyone. That is why we ride."
