Ambon Information Website

Ambon / Maluku Glossary

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Many thanks to Marinyo Maluku for his valuable contributions.

ABRI	Angkatan Bersenjanta Republik Indonesia - Indonesian military forces composed of Army, Navy and Air Force. See also - ADRI, ALRI, AURI.
Acang	Nickname for Muslims (see also Obet / Obed). Derived from popular Muslim name “Hassan”.
ACF	Action Contre la Faim - Action Against Hunger - International NGO.
Adat	The sacred customary beliefs handed down by the ancestors. Cultural code of conduct and norms, what is acceptable and expected, common law.
ADRI	Angkatan Darat Republik Indonesia - Indonesian Army.
Agats	Christian children fighters. The agats is a tiny kind of insect that can sting annoyingly.
Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaah	Congregation of the Followers of the Prophet. Fundamental Muslim Movement, backing up Jihad fighters.
AJI	Independent Journalists Association.
Akar Rumput	Grass Roots movement.
Ale	Moluccan slang for “you”. A famous expression is: ALE RASA BETA RASA – the Ambonese word BETA (stress on the first syllable) = I / me. The Indonesian word RASA = feel. So the meaning is: “I feel what you feel”. If you have pain, I have no less pain. If you are happy, I am happy too.
Alif'uru	Moluccan peoples' ancestors.
ALRI	Angkatan Laut Republic Indonesia - Indonesian Navy.
Ambon Ekspres	Local newspaper. Muslim, split off from “Suara Maluku” for practical reasons since the conflict started.
AMMB	Aliansi Mahasiswa Maluku Bersatu - Alliance of United Moluccan Students.
Armed	Artileri Medan - Field Artillery.
AURI	Angkatan Udara Republik Indonesia - Indonesian Air Force.
Baileo	Adat village sacred meeting place, also a local NGO.
Baguala	The most eastern of the 3 Kecamatans of the city of Ambon. The two others are Nusaniwe and Sirimau.
Bakin	State Intelligence Coordinating Board 2nd ref board.
Bakornas PBP	National Coordinating Board for Disaster Management and IDPs / Refugees.
Baku Bae	Reconciliation movement. “Baku Bae” = Moluccan slang for “Saling (bersikap) baik”.
BAP	Berkas berita acara pemeriksaan - police investigation reports.
Bapa Raja	Traditional Maluku village leader.
BAPPEDA	Regional Development Agency.
Basudara	Moluccan slang derived from Indonesian “bersaudara”. “Saudara” = brother/sister/cousin and still farther up. The prefix “ber-” always means “having”. So “Basudara” means “having each other as “saudara” = brotherhood.
Becak	Traditional three-wheel bicycle taxi.
BIA	Armed Forces Intelligence.
BIMM	Badan Imarah Muslim Maluku. Union of all Muslims in the Moluccas, established at the Great Muslim Conference which was held in Ambon from 19 to 22 June, 2001. BIMM is short for “Association that manages/coordinates the Muslims of the Moluccas”. See also Immarat / Immarah / Amaran.
BIN	Badan Intelijen Negara - National Intelligence Agency.
BPDPM	Badan Pengawasan Daerah Provinsi Maluku - Moluccas Control Committee
BPKP	Moluccas Development and Finance Audit Body
BPS	Bureau of Statistics.
Brawijaya	Regional Military Command in East Java.
Brimob	Police Mobile Brigade.
Buka Puasa	Breaking the fast.
Bulog	National Logistics Agency.
BUMN	State-owned enterprises.
Bupati	Head of a Kabupaten.
Camat	Head of a Kecamatan / sub-district (subdivision of Kabupaten).
CARDI	Consortium for Assistance to Refugees and the Displaced in Indonesia (International NGOs).
CARE	Care International - International NGO.
CGI	Consultative Group on Indonesia (was IGGI).
CIDA	Canadian International Development Agency.
Coker	Short for Cowo-Cowo Keren, Ambonese, meaning “Bold Youngsters” or Cowok Keristen, the "Christian Boys".
CORDAID	Catholic Organisation for Relief and Development.
CWS	Church World Service - International NGO.
Da’i	A specialist in matters of dakwah.
Dakwah	Propagation of the faith (Islam).
Darul Ulum	Local NGO.
DDII	Indonesian Islam Da'wah Federation.
DEPSOS	Social Department.
Desa	Village.
Dewan Dakwah Islamiyah	Indonesian Islamic Faith-Strengthening Board.
Diponegoro	Regional Military Command in Central Java.
DPH	Dewan Pimpinan Harian.
DPRD	Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat Daerah - Provincial House of Representatives.
Fatwa	Authoritative Islamic instruction.
FKASWJ / FKAWJ	Forum Komunikasi Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaah - Communication Forum. Opposed to Malino II agreement.
FKM	Front Kedaulatan Maluku - Maluku Sovereignty Front.
FMUMM	Forum Musyawarah Umat Muslim Maluku - Moluccas Muslim Meeting Forum. Opposed to Malino II agreement.
FPIM	Front Pembela Islam Maluku - The Islamic Defenders Front of Moluccas - led by Husni Putuhena. Opposed to Malino II agreement.
FPIS	Front Pemuda Islam Surakarta (Java).
FSPB	Forum Silatuhrahmi Perempuan Baguala - local Muslim women's group opposed to Malino II agreement. (Baguala is the most eastern of the 3 Kecamatans of the city of Ambon. The two others are Nusaniwe and Sirimau).
FSUIM	Forum Silaturahmi Umat Islam Maluku. Opponents of the agreement in Malino have united in the FSUIM.
GAM	Gerakan Aceh Merdeka - Free Aceh Movement.
Gandong	Moluccan slang, derived from the Indonesian word KANDUNGAN, which means “womb”. There is a popular nostalgic Moluccan song “Satu hati satu gandong” = “One heart one womb” (as if coming from one mother). Applied to connections between villages descended from the same patriarch.
GMIH	Gereja Masehi Injili Halmahera - Evangelical Messiah Church of Halmahera.
GMKI	Gerakan Mahasiswa Kristen Indonesia - Indonesia Christian's student movement.
GMN	Gerakan Moral Nasional - National Moral Movement. Leaders of this forum - Kyai Haji Hasyim Muzadi of the Nahdathul Ulama, Fr. I. Ismartono SJ in name of the Catholic Church and Minister A.A. Yewangoe of the union of Protestant Churches in Indonesia.
Golkar	Golongan Karya - Functional Group Party, literally “Work Party”.
Gotong-royong	Traditional voluntary work for common benefit.
GPK	The government term meaning peace disturbing movement or security disturbance groups.
GPM	Gereja Protestan Maluku - Moluccan Protestant Church. The largest and most influential Protestant Church in the Moluccas. Sinode GPM = Leading board of the GPM.
GPP	Gerakan Perempuan Peduli - Concerned Women's movement.
Halong	Halong naval base in Ambon.
Hawear signs	Severe adat custom. Adat No-Trespass signs. Consists of some wooden stakes, planted in the earth, “decorated” with palm leaves (coconut leaf fences). Nobody will try to trespass, fearing the wrath of unknown forces.
HMI	Himpunan Mahasiswa Islam - Muslim Students' Association.
IBRA	Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency.
IGGI	Consultative Group on Indonesia - replaced by CGI.
ICMC	International Catholic Migration Commission - International NGO.
ICMI	Ikatan Cendekiawan Muslim Indonesia - Association of Indonesian Muslim Intellectuals.
ICW	Indonesian Corruption Watch.
IDP	Internally Displaced Person.
IED	Improvised Explosive Devise.
IKSAMUNI	Ikatan Persaudaraan Muslim Nusa Ina - Nusa Ina Muslim Association. see Nusa Ina.
Immarat / Immarah / Amaran	Regulations, command, order to fulfill.
IMC	International Medical Corps - International NGO.
IMI	Ikhwanul Muslim Indonesia.
INGO	International Non-Governmental Organisation.
IRC	International Rescue Committee - International NGO.
IRD	International Relief and Development.
JI	Jamaah Islamiyah. JI is a shadowy organization with bases reportedly in Singapore and Malaysia. It allegedly aims to establish an Islamic state in the region. Leader - Abu Bakar Ba'asyir. Involved in Maluku.
Jihad	Defined as a "just war" in the holy Koran.
JRS	Jesuit Refugee Service - International NGO.
Ka......	see Kepala.
Kabupaten	District, provinces are divided into districts, district head = Bupati.
Kapitan	Advises the Raja in developing war strategies.
KAMI	Kesatuan Aksi Mahasiswa Muslim Indonesia - United Action of Indonesian Muslim Students.
KAMMI	Indonesian Muslim Students Action Front.
Kandepag	Kantor Departemen Agama - Office of the Department of Religious Affairs.
KASAD	Kepala Staf Angkatan Darat - Army Chief of Staff..
Kecamatan	Sub-District, headed by Camat.
Kepala / Ka.......	The person in charge of an organisation, i.e. Kapolri, Kapolda, Kapolres, Kades, Kakandepag.
Keuskupan	Keuskupan Diocese (derived from Latin Episcopus = bishop / uskup).
Kewang	Traditional institution that is authorized to manage natural resources and the people's economy as well as to control the implementation of traditional regulations.
KISDI	Indonesian Committee for Solidarity with the Islamic World.
Kodam	Komando Daerah Militer - .
Kodim	Komando Distrik Militer - Military District Command.
Komnas HAM	National Commission on Human Rights.
Kompas	National newspaper.
Kontras	Komisi untuk Orang Hilang dan Korban Tindak Kekerasan / Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence.
Kopassus	Komando Pasukan Khusus - Army Special Forces.
Kopkamtib	Komando operasional keamanan dan ketertiban - Operational Command for the Restoration of Security and Order, a now defunct internal security agency.
Koran Info	Local daily newspaper.
Korem	Military command post.
Kostrad	Komando Strategi Darat / Infanteri - Army / Infantry Strategic Reserve Command.
KPK2KM	Komite Penegakan Kebenaran Keadilan dan Penghentian Kekerasan Maluku - organization of Muslim and Christian lawyers from the Moluccas.
KPPMM	Komite Penyidik Pelanggaran HAM dan Mediasi Maluku - the Committee on Investigation of Human Rights Violations and Intermediation in the Moluccas.
Latupati	Gathering of regional adat elders.
Laskar Jihad	Jihad Militia - an external group involved in Maluku conflict. Opposed to Malino II agreement. (Laskar Jihad Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jamaah). Jakarta human-rights activist Bonar Naipospos told Asia Times Online: "General Suparman is one of the generals who was behind the extremist Jihad groups. He set up militias composed of gangsters and religious fanatics to counter student demonstrations in 1998. One of these militias, Pram Swarkasa, became the embryo of Laskar Jihad."
Laskar Mujahidin	Mujahidin Militia - an external group involved in Maluku conflict. Opposed to Malino II agreement.
Laskar Yesus	Christian Militia.
Latupati	Adat chiefs.
Linggis	Muslims children fighters. A linggis is a crowbar, short but powerful.
Makan patita	traditional meal called.
Malino	Malino peace agreement regarding Poso situation (also the town where the agreement was signed).
Malino II	Malino II peace agreement between major Muslim and Christian groups regarding Maluku conflict.
Mapolres	Precinct Police Headquarters.
Marinyo	Person who supports and helps Raja disseminate information, announcer.
MCH	Mother Child Health.
MCI	Mercy Corps International - International NGO.
Merdeka	Freedom.
MSF	Médécins Sans Frontières - Doctors Without Borders - International NGO.
Muhammadiyah	Muslim organisation in Indonesia. Chairman Syafii Ma'arif. Supports Malino II agreement.
MUI	Majelis Ulama Indonesia - Ulama Council of Indonesia.
Nadhlatul Ulama	Muslim organisation in Indonesia.
New Order politics	Under Soeharto from 1966 to 1998.
NGO	Non-Governmental Organisation.
NII	Nation of Islamic Indonesia.
NKRI	Negara Kesatuan Republik Indonesia - Undivided State of the Republic of Indonesia.
NU	Nahdlatul Ulama - Muslim organisation in Indonesia.
Nunusaku	The origin of Moluccan people, a mountain which stood between Manusela and Piru on Ceram island.
Nusa Ina	The island of Seram / Ceram.
Nusaniwe	One of 3 Kecamatans of the city of Ambon. The two others are Baguala and Sirimau.
Obed / Obet	Nickname for Christians. Ambon TV explains it as an abbreviation for “Robert”. However, this is incorrect. Protestants often give their children names from the Old Covenant; very popular is the name “Obed” – the grandfather of king David (see Book Rut 4:17.20).
OCHA	Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (United Nations).
Ojeg	Motorcycle taxi.
OPM	Organisasi Papua Merdeka - Free Papua Organisation.
OPSLIHKAM	Operation for Restoring Security.
OTI	Office of Transition Initiatives - USAID.
Pamswakarsa	Civil guard established by Latupati.
PAN	National Mandate Party.
PANGKOOPSLIKAM	Panglima Komando Operasi Pemulihan Keamanan / Operational Chief Commander for Restoring Security.
Parkindo	Partei Kristen Indonesia - Indonesian Christian Party (Protestant political party).
Partai Keadilan	Justice Party.
Paskhas	Air Force Special Forces.
Pattimura	Moluccan national hero, Kapitan aka, Pattimura Thomas Matulessy, hung by the Dutch colonial ruler in 1817.
PBB	Partei Bulan Bintang - Crescent and Star Party.
PBHI	Perhimpunan Bantuan Hukum Indonesia - human rights organisation.
PDI	Partei Demokrasi Indonesia.
PDI-P	Partei Demokrasi Indonesia - Perjuangan / Indonesian Democratic Party - Struggle (under Megawati split from the PDI).
PDS	Penguasa Darurat Sipil - Civil Emergency Administrator for the nation, the President.
PDSD	Penguasa Darurat Sipil Daerah Maluku - Provincial Civil Emergency Administrator, the Governor.
Pela (click for more details)	A form of adat or common law. A form of alliance between two or more villages. A sort of closeness or togetherness.
PGI	Persekutuan Gereja Indonesia – Indonesia Synod of Protestant Churches. Union of most Protestant Churches in Indonesia, based in Jakarta.
PMI	Palang Merah Indonesia - Indonesian Red Cross.
PMKRI	Perhimpunan Mahasiswa Katolik Republik Indonesia - Association of Catholic Students of Indonesia.
Polda	Polisi Daerah - Provincial level police.
Polindes	Poliklinik Bersalin Desa - village level maternity clinics (Field Health Post).
Polres	Polisi Resort - (subdivision of Polda).
POLRI	Polisi Republik Indonesia - Indonesian National level Police.
Pomdam	Pattimura military command.
Posyandu	Pos Pelayanan Terpadu - Integrated health service.
PPP	United Development Party.
PPRC	Pasukan Pemukul Reaksi Cepat. Kostrad fast reaction force.
Preman	Hoodlums, gangsters, criminals.
Puskesmas	Pusat Kesehatan Masyarakat - Primary health centre.
Puskodalops	Maluku Control and Operations Command Center.
Puspaskup Amboina	Pusat Pengembangan Karya Pastoral Keuskupan Amboina.
Pustu	Puskesmas Pembantu - primary health unit.
Raja	King, traditional Maluku village leader.
Rajam	Execution by stoning.
Ramadhan	Muslim fasting month.
RMS	Republik Maluku Selatan - Republic of South Maluku - Also refers to South Maluku Independence Organisation.
RSU	Rumah Sakit Umum - Government Hospital in Kudamati, Ambon.
Salam	Muslim.
SAMNM	Satgas Amar Maruf Nahi Mungkar led by Muhamad Attamimi, Rustam Kastor and Ustad Bahasoan. Opposed to Malino II agreement.
Saniri	Village elder - man, see also seniri.
Saniri Besar	Village council.
Saniri Negeri	Legislative body, comprised of all village institutions.
Sarani	Christian.
Satgas	Satuan Tugas - Unarmed para-police unit who deal with public disturbances.
Satkorlak PBP	Provincial Coordinating Unit for Disaster Management and IDPs / Refugees.
Satlak PBP	District Executing Unit for Disaster Management and IDPs / Refugees.
SC UK	Save the Children United Kingdom - International NGO.
SD	elementary school.
Seniri	Village elder - woman, see also Saniri.
Sharia'	Islamic law.
Sirimau	One of 3 Kecamatans of the city of Ambon. The two others are Baguala and Nusaniwe.
Siwalima	Basic structure of Adat Society, also Ambon daily newspaper (Christian) and a museum in Ambon.
SLTP	First secondary school.
SMU	Sekolah Menengah Umum - high schools / upper secondary school.
SPMM	Radio station - Suara Perjuangan Muslim Maluku / Voice of the Moluccas Muslim Struggle. Opposed to Malino II agreement.
STAIN	Sekolah Tinggi Agama Islam Negeri, State-owned Islamic Studies Institute.
STIA	Trinitas Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu Administrasi - Academy for administration & Trade.
Suara Maluku	Local newspaper - Christian. At the start of the conflict split up in Suara Maluku and Ambon Express for practical reasons. Suara = voice.
Suara Merdeka	National newspaper.
Suara Pembaruan	National newspaper.
Tapak Ambon	Team Advokasi Penyelesaian Kasus Ambon - Advocacy Team for the Resolution of the Ambon Case.
Tempo	National newspaper.
THR	Taman Hiburan Rakyat, a local name of the location.
TIIN	Tim Investigasi Independen Nasional - Independent national investigation team.
TNI	Tentara National Indonesia - Indonesian Armed Forces.
TPG	Tim Pengacara Gereja (of the GPM) - Church Advocacy Team.
TPG	Tim Penyidik Gabungan - joint investigation team. Investigate on law enforcement and to prevent intervention by foreign groups.
TPM	Tim Pengacara Muslim - Muslim Lawyers Team.
Tramtib	Municipal guard units, a civilian corps employed by district governments to enforce local codes and regulations.
TVRI	TV Republik Indonesia - national TV network with local programming.
UKIM	UKIM Universitas Kristen Indonesia - Indonesian Christian University Maluku (Protestant).
UKK	Unsur Kesatuan Komando - united command of the Army (TNI Angkatan Darat).
UNCR	United Nations Resource Centre in Ambon.
UNDP	United Nations Development Programme.
UNHCR	United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
UNICEF	United Nations Childrens Fund.
Unidar	Universitas Darussalam - Islamic University of Darussalam, Ambon - Tulehu.
Unpatti	Universitas Pattimura - Pattimura University.
USAID	United States Agency for International Development.
Ustadz	Muslim preachers.
UXO	Unexploded Ordnance.
Wirabuana	Regional Military Command in South Sulawesi.
WIT	Waktu Indonesia Timur - Indonesian Eastern Time Zone.
WVI	World Vision International - International NGO.
YDBM	Moluccan scholarship fund.
YLBHI	Foundation of the Indonesian Legal Aid Institute.
Yon Gab	Batalyon Gabungan - Joint Battalion.
Zipur	Army Battalion.

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Last modified: 31/05/08