Introduction to Seko

Dramatic History

Seko is a remote region in the northeast of Northern Luwu residency in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, where the two tributaries of Karama river, Uro and Betue, flow westwards to Makassar straits through Mamuju regency. The region is on the highland of the Verbeek mountains that divided South and Central Sulawesi, where Kambuno and Malimongan are two of its peaks. The word ‘seko’ means ‘close friend’ or ‘friendly’. Maybe the meaning refers to the character of the inhabitants, ToSeko.

The history of ToSeko is a dramatic story. From 1920-1970 ToSeko experienced a series of social changes of revolutionary character.
* In early 1920's the remote tribe was opened to world history through the works of Christian missionaries and teachers. Some basic schools were set up where children were taught and converted to Christianity.
* Less than two decades, in 1942, the community was invaded and forced by the Japanese troops to leave their traditional religion. Up to 95% chose Christianity (instead of Islam). They also ordered the youths to join a semi military training.
* Some months after the proclamation of Indonesian independence the national revolution reached Seko. The trained youths participated in the independence struggle. But many of them were captured and put to prison in Masamba or sent to Makassar and further to Nusakambangan (in Java). Some of them had to wait until 1950 before being released and returning home.
* But then another period of turbulence arose in the early 1950's when the Moslem rebel guerillas in South Sulawesi occupied Seko and forced the Christians to become Muslim. But most of the people escaped from their dear ‘homeland’ and lived as Christian refugees in neighboring regions for more than a decade. ToSeko organized youths to combat the guerilla intruders in several campaigns. They won at last, but the whole affair of 1951 to 1965 left more than 80 casualties among the ToSeko.
* In the late 1960s the situation got better and people could return to Seko. But some people preferred to stay in diaspora. There are ToSeko communities in Palolo and Omu (Palu valley, Central Sulawesi), in Tana Toraja and in Seriti (Southern Palopo). Recent migrations found new communities in some other places. It is estimated that the ToSeko consists of 30 to 40 thousand people. Half of them live in the Seko region, and the rest live in various places outside the region. Here in Makassar we are a small community of 54 families (more than 300 people including 76 students).

Three decades since 1970 under the New Order of the Suharto regime resulted in no progress for the people in Seko. There are no public facilities such as centers for community health or electricity. No economic infrastructures. No roads for modern transportation. Instead their natural resources were exploited. The old traditional values of community goods were degraded. The leaders adopted the submissive and paternalistic attitudes as they were developed by the corrupt regime. There were no initiatives nor vision for the future of the people. The situation has not changed much in this Reformation era of multidimensional crises.

But now, after the region has been given the new status as a district, instead of being subordinated to the neighboring district of Limbong (Upper Rongkong), the people are waiting for improvement. They keep asking for a road from Sabbang to Seko (80-90 km) and a relatively good quality of basic education for their children. Good transportation will help them to improve their life, especially their economic needs. They can have cheaper sugar and salt, rather than being forced to accept unfair barter with their coffee or spend a week travel on foot to purchase needs in Palopo or in Toraja.

Vision

The small community of ToSeko here in Makassar is deeply concerned about the future of our people. We work to provide a dormitory for our students. But we need a long time to realize it. A semi permanent dormitory of 6 rooms was dedicated on Christmas 1999, 21 years after being planned. Of course it is not enough to host all of our almost 80 students. We are still working to set up other rooms on the vacant ground of the dormitory.

Last month, an agreement to set up a foundation was settled and legalized by a notary. It is called in short INASEKO, Institute for Advocacy and Empowerment of ToSeko. In one of the Seko languages ‘ina’ means ‘mother’. As reflected in its name, InaSeko works for advocacy and empowerment. Our vision is community development based on self-initiative, leadership and solidarity of the people at the grass-roots. InaSeko motivates the people to struggle for their own needs and future. In other words, we educate our people to be qualified human resources of self-supported, creativity and solidarity. InaSeko tries to provide support for the people in their ongoing effort to improve their life. As for support, we employ the principles of self-reliance and cooperation: first their own initiative and contribution, then asking support from outside. InaSeko also concerned with the reality of pluralism. ToSeko, as a minor tribe, consists of three sub-tribes and, despite the fact that the majority of them are Christians, some ToSeko put their faith in Islam. Learning from the experience of ethnic and religious group conflicts in our nation in the last years, we promote reconciliation among all people.

We put InaSeko vision into programs of:

1. Facilitating meetings of ToSeko leaders to set up a common vision and promote activities of the community development.
2. Gathering and describing information on the problems, plans and activities of ToSeko communities.
3. Motivating ToSeko to develop their concern towards community development in the fields of education, religion, agriculture, health, trade unions, home industries, crafts, etc.
4. Supporting human resource development through diverse training.
5. Finding national and international partners or donors to support community development initiated by the people.
6. Supporting the continuation of the extension of the Seko student dormitory in Makassar.
7. Raising funds and distributing scholarships ToSeko students
8. Gathering statistical data of the Seko people.