Tobelo

Tobelo is a town and also a district on the eastern Indonesian island of Halmahera. It is the capital of the regency (kabupaten) of North Halmahera, part of the province of North Maluku. The city was formalised as the capital of North Halmahera in the district elections held in 2004. It is considered as the best town in the regency in view of its coconut palm studded surroundings "fronted by jigsaw of islands". It has a population of approximately 15,000. A palm tree lined coastal road connects Tobelo to Galela. The town is predominantly Christian and a Protestant Church has existed in Tobelo since at least 1924.

Religion

Muslims and Christians had lived amicably in this town of North Halmahera from the 16th century. However, North Maluku province has a Muslim majority. The coastal road from Galela to Tobelo passes through neighboring Muslim and Christian villages. Living peacefully, these two communities followed the local cultural tradition of the Hibua Lamo (a pact between Muslims and Christians to live together without aggressive designs on each other and cooperating on all matters of mutual interest).