When The Blood Spills at Bugen Syuhada

Mass Grave for 40 victims from Massacre of Bugen Syuhada incident in Giri Tunggal Heroes Cemetery, Semarang.
(photos by: Yeremia Alfa)

Following the Independence of Indonesia on August 17th 1945, soon its also marked the outbreak of Indonesia National Revolution. The struggle lasted for over four years and involved sporadic but bloody armed conflict, internal Indonesian political and communal upheavals, and two major international diplomatic interventions. Dutch military forces were able to control the major towns, cities and industrial assets in Republican heartlands on Java and Sumatra, but could not control the countryside.

Hizbullah militians arrested by the Dutch Troops from
Tijger Brigade, after the raid somewhere in south-east of
Semarang, 1946. (source: Semarang Beeld van Een Stad)

Bugen, a villages in Pedurungan sub-district, eastern part of Semarang whereas one’s of the worst tragedy in the Indonesian National Revolution has happened. About 74 militians is perished during the raid by the Dutch forces from Tijgerbrigade on Thursday, December 5th 1946. During the Indonesian National Revolution, its not only the Tentara Nasional Indonesia (TNI) the regular armies were take a part, there’s also plenty of militians. The victims of tragedy which also known as the Massacre of Bugen Syuhada, is the militians from the Hizbullah and Sabilillah. Hizbullah, taken from the arabic words which means the Force of Allah, actually formed under the Japanese Authority, responding the demands from the Islamic factions to form the islamic forces. On December 8th 1944, then its formed the voluntary islamic forces, and became Japanese reserves armies headed by K.H. Zainul Arifin, one’s of the important figures in Nadhlatul Ulama (NU), the bigest Islamic organization in the world till today. If the Hizbullah was formed under the Japanese occupation as a reserves armies, Sabilillah, was not. Sabilillah was formed as the response of the high excalations between the indigenous people and the Allied forces, that came to restore the colonial power after the war. Sabilillah formed under K.H. Masykur, also from the NU organization, responding the declarations by K.H. Hasyim Asyari in October 22nd 1945, that the Indonesian National Revolution belongs to Jihad, the holy war. Sabilillah mostly taken its member from the pesantren , an Islamic boarding schools that very common in Indonesia, a place to learn about basic and Islamic studies,  philosophies, martial arts and meditation. 

The holes in the wall of H. Mustafa house at Bugen, the evidence of the
bloodshed that happened on December 5th 1946. (photos by: Yeremia Alfa)

Back to the Massacre of Bugen Syuhada stories, the Hizbullah and Sabilillah actually just came from Solo, planned assault to Semarang, the centre of the Dutch forces in Middle Java. They assaulted the British American Tobbaco (BAT) factory that turns into miltary headquarters. The assault failed and they retreated to avoiding the Dutch troops chased. They stayed overnight in Bugen village, on H. Mustafa house. Unluckily the Dutch troops captured their location, then a skirmished broke out and 74 militians perished. Most of them killed inside the house of H. Mustafa, as the bullets from the mitrailleur guns penetrated the wooden wall, hits the militians who take the house as a shelter. There’s a stories mentioned that, the Dutch troops later blast a dynamite to made such a big hole, as a place to buried the victims. 

Nowadays, the hole that caused by the bullets in H. Mustafa house still preserved. Actually there’s a plan to patch it, but then its canceled in the middle of the process, because of the owners willings to preserves it as the memory to the events. There’s a monument built nearby the H. Mustafa house, a place where the 74 bodies of the militians were buried but later on 1960, 40 of the skeletons moved into the Giri Tunggal Heroes Cemetery, near the centre of Semarang city. The Bugen village itself now also known as Bugen Syuhada. The people added Syuhada an arabic words for men who died in the way of Allah, to commemorate these massacre. 

Refrences:

1. Jejak Perjuangan yang Terlupakan (1), Kisah Heroik di Bekas Lubang Peluru by Rukardi Achmadi
2. Nadhlatul Ulama official sites (http://www.nu.or.id/)

Why We Fight?

The Dutch soldiers charged a republican basic during politionele actie II on 1948. In the picture appears, a Dutch soldier killed in action during the fight

Revolution, is always costly and has a dark side. Likewise, the revolution for independence in Indonesia. Soon after the proclamation of Independence on August 17, 1945, a lots of people questioned the meaning of independence. Traumatic by the Japanese occupation which causing the worst condition of life, and chaos caused by the vacuum of power soon after the Japanese surenderred, that often taken as a propaganda by the Dutch, that East Indie still required an intervention. On the other hand, Soekarno with others national leaders with confidence and optimism, take a significant step to become masters in their own land, who really   vast and rich.

The Dutch Soldier military parade, on
Bodjong Straat (Now Jalan Pemuda)
in front of Nambie Shop on 1947.
Source : beeldbankwo2.nl

This time I will see the revolution of independence of Indonesia from the Dutch army side. Not because I'm an anti-nationalist, OF COURSE NOT!!! But just because I believe likely Germany Wehrmacht, they were just innocent people who keep the commandments of the country, but their leaders, if in this case is like van Heutz, van Mook, or perhaps the very cruel ones, Raymond Westerling, the slaughter of more than 4000 Celebes people, forced them into a terrible and exhausting war. Indonesia at that time, become the Netherlands Vietnam, long, exhausting and deadly battlefield.

As a state who were in war condition, the Dutch government implemented the conscription to face the revolution in Indonesia in the late 1946's. They are trained in Ede, they taught on how to fight a war in the East Indies, alse a knowledge about the tropical nature which the nature itself are very different from Europe. They were also told about the outbreak of revolution in the country and in East Indies as many troops are needed to restore the Dutch rule. Chaos has happened everywhere because of the vacum of power and the KNIL (Koninklijke Nederlands Indie Leger, Army of East Indie) troops is not in good condition after the Japanese occupation. 

A dead bodies of civillian after the
executie by the Dutch Soldier during
the Dutch military operations in
Indonesia. source: Volksrant

Generally, many of the young Dutch complained and objected. Just after the second world war ended, not many young people who have a willingness to fight, to joined as regular army, but refusing conscription is an against the state behaviour and its could be sentenced to jail. However, for the opportunists, it is seen as an opportunity to go adventuring, going from the Netherlands who were stuffy and chaos, after the World War II, and going to the fertille land that have plenty of natural resource: East Indie!

Finally mid-1947, this young soldiers were sent to the East Indies, and soon, face the fierce guerrilla warfare soldiers of the republican army as well as the pro-independence militias. The war was very tiring because of almost the majority of the indigenous people in East Indies which has now become Indonesia atfer the proclamation of independence, fully supports the revolution, support the independence of Indonesia. Things that they don't realized before cause on their minds, the people are getting suffer and hate the revolution, also presuming that the republican army and those militia are no more than a terorist group. As a result, many  of them become stressed and perform several actions beyond the military ethics, like the burnt to the ground the villages and kampoong who were accused as republican based, also civillian killings, since they are no longer able to distinguish who were soldiers or civillians.

Ereveld Tjandi, on 2012. The resting place for both
mercenaries and regular army of Dutch Regiments.

On an evening, ight after tennis practice, near the tennis courts, there is an Ereveld, the placed were Dutch soldiers casualties during the revolution are buried. The Ereveld Tjandi, is one of the Ereveld established in Indonesia by the Dutch government as the resting place for thousand of Dutch soldiers, both the mercenaries or regular army who died during military operations in Indonesia. As I observed the graves, it is likely that many of them are still as young as me, 21 years old, even some of them are still in 18 years old! They have dreams, they kept a lots of expectation on their mind, they waits for their future but soon, dispossessed by  war which initiated only by a few of people. 

Someday, when you were a leader. Beware of taking a decision, caused ur decission are impacted the lifes of others people under your command.

Internatio Building, the Battle of Surabaya Eyewitness

The wrecked car of AWS Mallaby, in front of Internatio building, behind the republican banner.
 (Source: imperial war museum)

Several days ago on November 10th , all of Indonesian people celebrated the National Heroes Day, due to commemorating the Battle of Surabaya where estimated 16.000 lives of “Arek-Arek Suroboyo” (Peoples of Surabaya) got killed in action. This bloodbath started when the uprising between the people of Surabaya and the Allied force are getting worst during the revolution for Independence.  Then, the incident in front of Internatio building who killed the Allied high rank general, AWS Mallaby later triggering the retaliation from Allied troops who launched high scale military operation recognize as the Battle of Surabaya. 

The Internatio building on 2011, owned by PT Tjipta Niaga,
but now is no longer used as office, its abandoned!

About the Battle of Surabaya events, well I guess most of us know how its happened from the history book during school time, isnt? But what about Internatio building? Why in the history book, its always be written if AWS Mallaby is killed in front of Internatio building? Eventhough when I’m visiting Surabaya, the building is no longer have a name as Internatio building. Then, I’m just realize that Internatio have a big reputation in the past, so the building name is so popular among the people.

The Internatio is a name of a trading company, one’s of the five biggest company in Indonesia during Dutch-Indie era until early post-Independence era.  Its existed from 1863 to 1970 and the background of the establishment of this company was the wish of the Twente cotton manufacturers to distribute their goods in Dutch-Indies,  which previously held by the Nederlandsche Handel-Maatschappij (NHM, nationalized and now become Bank Mandiri). Twente itself is prime cotton industry region and for long one of the most thoroughly proletarianised region of Netherlands. Then its established on 1863, and have a name Internationale Crediten en Handelsvereeniging Rotterdam. The objective of the company was to open trade market, finance exports in various forms, purchase and/ or rentaling ships and participating in cultural societies.  The company, operating worldwide but the fact, its only concentrated to operate in Dutch-Indie, Java island specifically. Its recorded that Internatio has 60 branch office and 2000 employers in all parts of Dutch-Indie. Some of Internatio possessions in the Dutch East Indies:

The Internatio building in Semarang, located in Kota Lama, 

around 1940.  (source : Tropenmuseum) 

1. Ament's sugar

2. Algemeene Industrial and Mining Directory

3. Agricultural Society Bantool

4. Culture Society Modjopanggoong

5. Culture Society Kenongo

6. Handelsmaatschappij Kehding van Nie

7. Paper Mill Padalarang

8. Rotterdamsche Culture Society

9. Sian Tin Operating Syndicate

10. Sumatra Rubber Company

11. Suikerfabriek Tandjong Tirto

12. Society for the Exploitation of Sugar Tjebongang

,and so on

The current condition of the former Internatio
building in Semarang, its turned into shopping
complex.

That’s explain why, Internatio is one’s of the big five trading company in Dutch-Indie beside, Borsumij, Geo Wehry, Lindeteves  and Jacobson van den Berg. After the Second World War and the independence of Indonesia,  Internatio expand their company to  Latin America and later in East Africa, because of the high sentiment of Dutch Company among the people in Indonesia in the middle of 50’s due to the West Papua conflict. Then on 1957, together with others Dutch company in Indonesia, the Internatio being nationalized like the others Dutch trading company and become PT Tjipta Niaga. Then, the glory of Internatio in Indonesia, is end. On 1970, its merged with International Wm. H. Müller & Co. to formed the Internatio-Muller Company.

In Semarang itself, the building of Internatio, which one’s of the largest office in the Old Town area, had been torned down. Actually its also burnt down during the early stage of Indonesian Revolutionary War, in 1945. Currently, the location where Internatio once stand for had changed into a shopping complex and a base for a public transport called angkot.

The Early Hospital in Semarang (Part II) : RSUP Dr.Kariadi

The main hall of Centrale Burgerlijke Ziekenhuis (CBZ)  in 1929. (Photos by: Troopenmuseum)

If you think good health is expensive, then try ill health, because If you are sick, no matter how rich you are, how powerfull you are, everything you have would be going nothing. A proverb that show us how the healthiness is so important even its the main things in the human's life. Related to this the healthcare facility is so important, and now i'll continue my story about "The Early Hospital in Semarang" , which is before i've post about the St. Elizabeth hospital, now i'll share the information about Centrale Burgerlijke Ziekenhuis (CBZ) or now known as RS Dr.Kariadi (RSDK).

The main hall of RSUP dr.Kariadi in 2012

In the 1919, a doctor name N.F Liem who worked in Semarang, have an ideas to merged the City Hospital (Stadverband Ziekenhuis) which is located in Old Town with the City Auxiliary Hospital (Hulp Stadverband Ziekenhuis) who located in the town square . The plan itself is to build the central hospital in the outskirt of Semarang city. Anyway, dr. N. F. Liem, who born in Muntok, Bangka in 1872, according to Traditional Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy in Indonesia book, written by Myra Sidharta and Claudine Salmon, is the first Chinese Indonesian doctor in Western Medicine. Back to the story of establishment of RSUP Dr.Kariadi, then after several surveys, its choosed the location for it in Kalisari. It takes five years to built it and officialy opened on September, 9th 1925 and its named Centrale Burgerlijke Ziekehuis (CBZ). On that time the CBZ could accommodated 500 patient who were takes care in the big ward contains of 45 patient. Beside that its already served the specialities is already exist, like the internist, surgery, obstetrics, ophthalmologist, dermatologist and many more, strengthening the name of the CBZ itself to become the leading hospital in Semarang city. The complex of CBZ it also designed compact, so its make the nurse, doctor, and the hospitals employee could take the quick action, related if there’s emergency condition. Considering the medical personel are so rare, so its built a drom and office for the medical personel of CBZ around the CBZ itself. Following the Japanese occupation of East Indie on 1942, this hospital changed its name into Pusat Rumah Sakit Rakyat (PURUSARA). Then when the revolution for independence declared on 1945, this hospital also become one’s of the republican based for struggling.

The Pavilion of "de wachtdokter" or the waiting doctor on CBZ in 1929 (Photos by: Tropenmuseum). 
And the picture below is the current condition, currently used as cafetaria and stationary. 

The famous story related to this hospital about revolution for indepence is the story about dr.Kariadi, which later his name immortalized for the official name of this hospital in 1964, from Rumah Sakit Umum Pusat (RSUP) Semarang into Rumah Sakit Dokter Kariadi (RSDK). Dr. Kariadi is one’s of the doctor who’s in charge in PURUSARA start from 1942, right after he finished his duty to become medical personel in the city of Martapura in Borneo(Kalimantan) island. In PURUSARA he’s in charged as the head of malaria laboratory. Following the surrender of Japanese into Allied force in August 1945, there was an status quo in East Indie because there was vacuum of power. The tension between the republican militia and the Japanese force who’s refused to hand over their weapon are continuously happened and make the city condition getting worst. Then on October 14th 1945, there’s happened the massacre of Japanese force in Boeloe prison by the militia, and its make the Japanese force in anger and respond this brutality with others brutality, they burnt down the Pandean Lamper and Tegal Kangkung kampoong. Then there’s a rumours that the Japanese poisoned the Siranda Reservoir. It’s an extremely dangerous action if its ignored so Dr. Kariadi, accompanied by militiamen from the Tentara Pelajar Corps, with a car goes to checked about the truth of that rumour. Unfortunately, the Japanese army killed him together with the militiamen in the middle of their way to Siranda. The dead body of dr.Kariadi are abandoned in the hospital for two days because of in the following day there’s happened the clash between Japanese and the Republican Militia, known as Pertempuran Lima Hari Lima Malam. On October 17th 1945, finaly the body of dr.Kariadi finaly buried, but its in the yard of PURUSARA, considering the hard situation. On the 1961, the remains of dr.Kariadi dead body, moved into the Giri Tunggal Cemetery, and re-buried with the military ceremony.

Now the RSDK become one’s of the leading hospital in Semarang. With the extensive development, this hospital now served more than a thousand of patient every day and also projected as the international hospital.

The Bust of dr.Kariadi in the main hall

Karawang - Bekasi (a Poem to Recall Rawagede Massacre)

Kami yang kini terbaring antara Karawang-Bekasi

We who are lying between Karawang-Bekasi

Tidak bisa teriak "Merdeka" dan angkat senjata lagi

We who cant shout Merdeka (Freedom) anymore and take up arms again

Tapi siapakah yang tidak lagi mendengar deru kami

But who can no longer hear our roar

Terbayang kami maju dan berdegap hati?

Can you imagine when we move forward with steel heart?

Kami bicara padamu dalam hening di malam sepi

We talked to you in the silence of night

Jika dada rasa hampa dan jam dinding yang berdetak

With the empty heart and the slowly move of times

Kami mati muda. Yang tinggal tulang diliputi debu

We die young, living with bones covered by dust

Kenang, kenanglah kami

Remember, remembered us!

Kami sudah coba apa yang kami bisa

We’ve tried what could we do

Tapi kerja belum selesai, belum apa-apa

But the task isn’t accomplished, nothing

Kami sudah beri kami punya jiwa

We have show to you, we have our own soul

Kerja belum selesai, belum bisa memperhitungkan arti 4-5 ribu jiwa

The task isn’t accomplished, couldn’t get the meaning of 4-5 thousand of lives

Kami cuma tulang-tulang berserakan

We’re just scattered bones

Tapi adalah kepunyaanmu

But we are yours

Kaulah lagi yang tentukan nilai tulang-tulang berserakan

In your hand, determining the values ​​of this scattered bones

Ataukah jiwa kami melayang untuk kemerdekaan, kemenangan dan harapan

Or our soul is float to freedom, victory and hope

Atau tidak untuk apa-apa

Or just nothing!

Kami tidak tahu, kami tidak bisa lagi berkata

We do not know, we can no longer say

Kami bicara padamu dalam hening di malam sepi

We talked to you in the silence of night

Jika dada rasa hampa dan jam dinding yang berdetak

With the empty heart and the slowly move of times

Kenang-kenanglah kami

Remember, remembered us!

Menjaga Bung Karno

Keeping Mr. Karno ( Soekarno, 1st Precident of Indonesia)

Menjaga Bung Hatta

Keeping Mr. Hatta ( Moehammad Hatta, 1st Vice Precident of Indonesia)

Menjaga Bung Syahrir

Keeping Mr. Syahrir ( Sutan Syahrir, 1st Prime Minister of Indonesia)

Kami sekarang mayat

We’re now only corpses

Berilah kami arti

Give us the meaning of die

Berjagalah terus di garis batas pernyataan dan impian

Keep stay on the lines of statements and dreams

Kenang-kenanglah kami

Remember, remembered us!

Yang tinggal tulang-tulang diliputi debu

Living with bones covered by dust

Beribu kami terbaring antara Karawang-Bekasi

Thousand of us lying, between Karawang-Bekasi

Chairil Anwar (1922-1949) Famous Poet of Indonesia 

Long Road to Justice, Rawagede Massacre

Douglas C-47 Skytrain or known as Dakota. This kind of plane owned by Koninklijke Nederladsch Indisch Leger (KNIL) who were crashed in Rawagede triggered the offensive that resulted massacre of 431 civillians in Rawagede. Inset: KNIL insignia (source: wikipedia) 

This September the people of Indonesia, especially the people of Rawagede gained a victory over the International Court of Justice, for the first time. On September, 14th 2011, the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands, recognize Rawagede Massacre as the crimes against humanity, and blamed Netherlands Governments for it. The Courts demanded Netherlands to pay compensation over the victims. Its good for the victims that already 60 years without any justice, but then what about the others war crimes involved the Royal Army of Netherlands during 1945-1949? Also the rebellion involved the desertion army of KNIL( Koninklijk Nederlandsch Indische Leger) to disturb the rise of Republic Indonesia during Soekarno period? Well, for me, Rawagede Massacre is just one’s of the massacre that happened during the politionele actie that held by Netherlands between 1945-1949. So what is Rawagede Massacre itself?

The people of Rawagede mourning the destruction.
(source: 60 tahun Indonesia Merdeka)

It begun when West Java, before the Renville Agreement was signed, the Dutch army from Division 1, also known as December 7th Division troops launched a cleaning unit and Indonesia militias who are still held against the Dutch. In the area of ​​operations in Karawang, small city 50km to the west of Batavia (Jakarta), the Dutch army, hunt the Indonesia Regular Army and also the militia who was believed to responsible to shooting down the C-47(Dakota) Plane that carries 19 of Dutch Army officers from Semarang to Batavia. In fact the plane itself suffered engine failures, Nobody was injured and all the occupants were seen by a Thunderbolt pilot to leave the plane. When a rescue party of the RAF Regiment arrived, a howling mob surrounded the plane and there was no sign of the occupants, the rescue team believed that the officers was already kidnapped or murdered by the militia. The Dutch army inspect all over the village, door to door. But they did not found any Indonesia Regular Army nor militia over there. Then forced the entire population out of their homes and gather them in a field. Male population was ordered to stand side by side, then they were asked about the existence of the militia or regular army. But none of the people who say fighters are hiding. Then the brutality was start. The leader then ordered the Dutch army to shoot to death all the male population, including young teens. Some people managed to escape to the forest, although wounded shot. The worst one is there’s a popular stories that Dutch Army, let the villagers run out to the forestall area, but then from behind, they shoot them repatedly with machine guns.

Aftermath the Dutch troops burnt down the entire village of
Rawagede. (source: 60 tahun Indonesia Merdeka)

That day the Dutch soldiers massacred 431 people of Rawagede. Before the Dutch army leaves, they burned over the villages. This form of field executions (standrechtelijke excecuties) are an action that is clearly a war crime and its happened many times. It is estimated that victims of the massacre of more than 431 people, because many are swept away in flood to the river because of heavy rain after the massacre over. The rain which flushed resulting in a pool of blood soaked the village. The next day, after the Dutch troops to leave the village, the women tried to bury the bodies with crude equipment. As the witness said, mother buried her husband and two sons aged 12 and 15 years. They can not dig a hole too deep, only about 50 cm only, not too deep, so the smell of corpses still smelled for several days. This event later immortalized by Chairil Anwar, a famous poet at that times into a poem titled, Karawang - Bekasi.

The Rawagede victims now will felt a lil bit satisfied following this resolution. But not with the Republic of Indonesia government I think. Maybe, the government just feared of, if they concerned to this resolution, which is strong related again human right, maybe next day, the government itself must be preapared to the court also for the systematical crimes like Massacre of Communist Followers in 1965-1966, Massacre of Tanjung Priok, Petrus, Santa Cruz Massacre (Timor Leste), and 1998 Riots.

Sources: Metro Files, "Cerita Kelabu di Rawagede"

Pict Sources: http://www.flickr.com/photos/atom-uk/page132/ ( Dakota )