Het Zuid-Molukse radicalisme: een emancipatie-beweging?

Samenvatting

In the article ("Het Zuid-Moluks radicalisme in Nederland," nationalistische of emancipatiebeweging, South Moluccan radicalism in the Netherlands nationalistic or emancipation movement Sociologische Gids 1971, 18, 1), M. H. Mariën treats the problem of young South Moluccans in the Netherlands, who find themselves between 2 different frames of reference: their native traditions and the hope of returning to found a free state of the South Moluccas (in Indonesia), and the Dutch culture in which they live. Mariën concludes that the young South Moluccans are strongly attracted by Dutch or western culture and that their radicalism is therefore an emancipation movement rather than a nationalistic one. One of the characteristics of nationalism is the feeling of a distinct identity, which is felt by almost all South Moluccans, young and old alike. Attraction of South Moluccan youth to Dutch culture does not hamper their nationalistic spirit. The conclusion that the radicalism among the young people is largely emancipatory seems a bit premature. There are differing grades of intensity of nationalistic feelings, which to a great extent are directly correlated to the repressiveness of the powers trying to counter the nationalism. More data is needed before the extent of the nationalism of the young South Moluccans can be determined. In Antwoord aan De Jong (Reply to De Jong), M. H. Mariën replies that while the logical implication of the article title implies that nationalism and emancipation movements are mutually exclusive, this was not the thrust of the work itself. The intent was to investigate the causes of nationalism among the South Moluccan youth. Nationalism was thus accepted as a given, and the concept of emancipation was not intended to replace that of nationalism, but rather to give additional meaning and sense to the term. It is difficult to speak of nationalism or emancipation movements among the youth; if anything, their feelings might best be summed up as general discontent. P. Tiersma.