The declaration was led by former East Indonesia justice minister Christiaan Robbert Steven Soumokil, while Johanis Manuhutu was made president of the new republic.

[2] The independence declaration said the South Moluccas no longer felt secure within State of East Indonesia and were cutting their ties with RUSI.

However, Lt. Col. Slamet Rijadi who was the commander of the Indonesian army in the Maluku sector and an important participant during the offensive was killed during the final day of the campaign.

[6][7] [8] During the Indonesian National Revolution, the Dutch had to disband the reinstated KNIL,[9] and the native soldiers had the choice of either being demobilised or joining the army of the Republic of Indonesia.

Due to a deep distrust of the Republican leadership, which was predominantly Javanese Muslim, this was an extremely difficult choice for the Protestant Ambonese, and only a minority chose to serve with the Indonesian Army.

The political situation in the new Republic of Indonesia was initially unstable and, in particular, controversy over a federal or centralised form of the state resulted in armed conflicts in which Ambonese ex-KNIL men were involved.

But Indonesia refused to let the Dutch transport these soldiers to Ambon as long as the RMS was not repressed, fearing prolonged military struggle.

After the defeat of the RMS on Ambon by Indonesian forces in November 1950, the self-declared government withdrew to Seram, where an armed struggle continued on until December 1963.

The government in exile moved to the Netherlands in 1966, following resistance leader and president Chris Soumokil's capture and execution by Indonesian authorities.