Misplaced Pages

#764235

123-585: The village was occupied by the Dutch under the Dutch East Indies and they gave it its name, originally spelled "Saoekorem" or "Saokorem". A Sergeant Mandala was reported to have been posted to Saukorem. Christian missionaries were active in the area and were reported as having moved on from here through the Kebar Valley . Rice is grown on dry ground in the district near the shore. On March 16, 1994,

246-810: A Republic of the United States of Indonesia . In December 1949 the Netherlands formally recognised Indonesian sovereignty with the exception of the Dutch New Guinea ( Western New Guinea ). Sukarno 's government campaigned for Indonesian control of the territory, and with pressure from the United States, the Netherlands agreed to the New York Agreement which ceded the territory to Indonesian administration in May 1963. In 2013

369-502: A canoe known as a Geelvink Bay canoe which has a high affix to the bow and to the stern end-piece. This Southwest Papua location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Dutch East Indies The Dutch East Indies , also known as the Netherlands East Indies ( Dutch : Nederlands(ch)-Indië ; Indonesian : Hindia Belanda ), was a Dutch colony with territory mostly comprising

492-742: A cease-fire on 14 October (a month after its arrival in Batavia) and a draft agreement on 15 November with the negotiators for the Republik Sutan Sjahrir , Prime Minister, Amir Sjarifuddin , Defense Minister, and Johannes Leimena , Junior Minister of Health, chairman of the Indonesian Christian Party. This so-called Linggadjati Agreement was first "elucidated" by the Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs Jan Jonkman on 10 December, and in this form accepted by

615-606: A few Indonesians were able to gain a larger role in commerce. The Indonesian independence movement began in May 1908, which is commemorated as the " Day of National Awakening " ( Indonesian : Hari Kebangkitan Nasional ). Indonesian nationalism and movements supporting independence from Dutch colonialism, such as Budi Utomo , the Indonesian National Party (PNI), Sarekat Islam and the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI), grew rapidly in

738-518: A lesser extent in Sumatra (Indonesia's two dominant islands), the Japanese spread and encouraged nationalist sentiment. Although this was done more for Japanese political advantage than from altruistic support of Indonesian independence, this support created new Indonesian institutions (including local neighbourhood organisations) and elevated political leaders such as Sukarno. Just as significantly for

861-645: A more reasoned approach. Some leaders, such as the leftist Tan Malaka , spread the idea that this was a revolutionary struggle to be led and won by the Indonesian pemuda . Sukarno and Hatta, by contrast, were more interested in planning government and institutions to achieve independence through diplomacy. Pro-revolution demonstrations took place in large cities, including one in Jakarta on 19 September with over 200,000 people, which Sukarno and Hatta, fearing violence, successfully quelled. By September 1945, many of

984-593: A peak in November and December, with 1,200 killed in Bandung as the pemuda returned to the offensive. In March 1946, departing Republicans responded to a British ultimatum for them to leave the city of Bandung by deliberately burning down much of the southern half of the city in what is popularly known in Indonesia as the " Bandung Sea of Fire ". The Battle of Surabaya was the heaviest and bloodiest single battle of

1107-414: A problem until the mid-19th century. Finally, in the early 20th century, imperial dominance was extended across what was to become the territory of modern-day Indonesia. In 1806, with the Netherlands under Imperial French domination, Emperor Napoleon I appointed his brother Louis Bonaparte to the Dutch throne, which led to the 1808 appointment of Marshal Herman Willem Daendels as Governor-General of

1230-538: A small portion of the indigenous population was able to vote for its members. The council comprised 30 indigenous members, 25 European and 5 from Chinese and other populations, and was reconstituted every four years. In 1925 the Volksraad was made a semilegislative body; although decisions were still made by the Dutch government, the governor-general was expected to consult the Volksraad on major issues. The Volksraad

1353-635: A treaty outlining "spheres of influence". The Dutch East Indies fell into Japan's sphere. The Netherlands, Britain and the United States tried to defend the colony from the Japanese forces as they moved south in late 1941 in search of Dutch oil. On 10 January 1942, during the Dutch East Indies Campaign , Japanese forces invaded the Dutch East Indies as part of the Pacific War . The rubber plantations and oil fields of

SECTION 10

#1732781185765

1476-483: A video story named "Kaman ja Squash seed" was filmed in the village by a 40-year-old man named Markus Wabia. Saukorem lies in the northwestern part of Papua on the north of the Birds' Head Peninsula. The village lies on a beach in a small bay known as Dore Bay with coast headland jutting outwards to the northwest of the village. Villages in the vicinity include Roewe or Rewe (11 miles to the west), Maiami and Manganeki. To

1599-598: Is a white 30 m (98 ft) iron skeletal structure with a 32 m (105 ft) focal plane with two white flashes every 10 seconds. The village is home to the Abun , Dore and the Wabia peoples who made their centre in a place called Wepai in the village of Saukorem. The Abun living in Saukorem are reported to have children not only with partners of other families but with cousins and distant relatives which may affect

1722-687: The Dutch East Indies campaign of 1941–42 the KNIL and the Allied forces were quickly defeated. All European soldiers, which in practice included all able bodied Indo-European males, were interned by the Japanese as POWs . Twenty-five percent of the POWs did not survive their internment. Following World War II, a reconstituted KNIL joined with Dutch Army troops to re-establish colonial "law and order". Despite two successful military campaigns in 1947 and 1948–1949, Dutch efforts to re-establish their colony failed and

1845-1242: The Indonesian National Armed Forces that were former KNIL soldiers included: Suharto , second president of Indonesia; A. H. Nasution , commander of the Siliwangi Division and Chief of Staff of the Indonesian army; and A. E. Kawilarang , founder of the elite special forces Kopassus . Indonesian National Revolution [REDACTED] Indonesia [REDACTED]   Netherlands [REDACTED]   United Kingdom [REDACTED] Sukarno [REDACTED] M. Hatta [REDACTED] Sudirman [REDACTED] O. Soemohardjo [REDACTED] HB IX [REDACTED] Gatot Soebroto [REDACTED] A.H Nasution and others... • United Kingdom : 980 killed • Japan : 1,293 killed • 5,500–20,000 Indo people and European civilians killed and 2,500 missing 1946 1947–1948 1949 Post- RTC Taishō period Shōwa period 18th century 19th century 20th century The Indonesian National Revolution ( Indonesian : Revolusi Nasional Indonesia ), also known as

1968-581: The Indonesian National Revolution . The Dutch, aiming to re-establish control of the archipelago, responded by deploying roughly 220,000 troops, who fought the Indonesian nationalists in attrition warfare . The United States threatened to terminate financial aid for the Netherlands under the Marshall Plan if they did not agree to transfer sovereignty to Indonesia, leading to Dutch recognition of Indonesian sovereignty at

2091-580: The Indonesian War of Independence ( Indonesian : Perang Kemerdekaan Indonesia , Dutch : Indonesische Onafhankelijkheidsoorlog ), was an armed conflict and diplomatic struggle between the Republic of Indonesia and the Dutch Empire and an internal social revolution during postwar and postcolonial Indonesia. It took place between Indonesia's declaration of independence in 1945 and

2214-598: The Netherlands ' transfer of sovereignty over the Dutch East Indies to the Republic of the United States of Indonesia at the end of 1949. The four-year struggle involved sporadic but bloody armed conflict, internal Indonesian political and communal upheavals, and two major international diplomatic interventions. Dutch military forces (and, for a while, the forces of the World War II allies ) were able to control

2337-721: The Portuguese in 1512 who established a network of trading posts and fortresses throughout the region, including at the spice islands of the Maluku islands . In 1580 Portugal formed a union with Spain , and therewith entered the war with the Dutch Republic . Following disruption of Dutch access to spices, the first Dutch expedition set sail to reach the East Indies in 1595 to access spices directly from Asia. After many skirmishes and hardships , only one third of

2460-507: The Strait of Malacca . Britain was a protector of Aceh and it granted the Dutch request to conduct their anti-piracy campaign. The campaign quickly drove out the Sultan, but across Aceh numerous local Muslim leaders mobilised and fought the Dutch in four decades of expensive guerrilla war, with high levels of atrocities on both sides. Colonial military authorities tried to forestall a war against

2583-586: The 10,000 Indo-Europeans and European internees in the volatile Central Java interior. British detachments sent to the towns of Ambarawa and Magelang encountered strong Republican resistance and used air attacks against the Indonesians. Sukarno arranged a ceasefire on 2 November, but by late November fighting had resumed and the British withdrew to the coast (refer Battle of Ambarawa ). Republican attacks against Allied and alleged pro-Dutch civilians reached

SECTION 20

#1732781185765

2706-516: The 17th and 18th century. Punishments for slaves could be extremely harsh— for instance, runaway slaves and their accomplices could be subject to whipping, chain gangs, or death. Other punishments included the cutting of hands, ears, breasts and noses, forms of scaphism , being burned alive and the breaking wheel . In theory, slave masters did not have free rein to punish their own slaves as they wished. Punishments of slaves had to be decided in court, and certain punishments could only be applied when

2829-598: The 1945–46 period, which is known as the Bersiap . Estimates of the death toll of the Bersiap period vary from 3,500 to 30,000. NIOD concluded a Dutch casualty number of approximately 5,500 with possible higher numbers but not above 10,000. Estimates of the number of Indonesian fighters killed in the lead up to and during the Battle of Surabaya range from 6,300 to 15,000. The Japanese forces lost around 1,000 soldiers and

2952-519: The 1949 Dutch–Indonesian Round Table Conference . Indonesia became one of the leading nations of the Asian independence movement after World War II. During the revolution and after Indonesian independence, almost all Dutch citizens repatriated to the Netherlands. In 1962, the Dutch turned over their last possession in Southeast Asia, Dutch New Guinea ( Western New Guinea ), to Indonesia under

3075-644: The 19th century and there were no significant famines in Java after the 1840s. Another source of profit were the so-called coolies , a name for low-wage indentured laborers. After the abolition of the Cultivation System in 1870, the economy shifted to private companies such as the Deli Company , which was founded on Sumatra in 1869. Large-scale plantations were built to grow cash crops and Javanese, Chinese, Malay, Batak and Indian people were shipped to

3198-526: The 19th century, the Cultivation System ("Cultuurstelsel") was implemented in 1830. Under this system it was stipulated that Indonesian farmers had to use 20% of their farmland for the cultivation of cash crops for export such as indigo, coffee and sugar. Through this system considerable profits were made; the net profit for the Dutch treasury is estimated at 4% of the Dutch GDP at the time and around 50% of total state revenue. The system proved disastrous for

3321-554: The British commander Lieutenant General Sir Philip Christison diverted soldiers of the former Dutch colonial army to eastern Indonesia, where Dutch reoccupation was proceeding smoothly. Tensions mounted as Allied troops entered Java and Sumatra; clashes broke out between Republicans and their perceived enemies, namely Dutch prisoners, Dutch colonial troops (KNIL) , Chinese, Indo-Europeans and Japanese. The first stages of warfare were initiated in October 1945 when, in accordance with

3444-454: The British forces registered 660 soldiers, mostly British Indians , as killed (with a similar number missing in action). The actual Dutch military was hardly involved, as it started to return to Indonesia only in March and April 1946. By the end of August 1945, a central Republican government had been established in Jakarta. It adopted a constitution drafted during the Japanese occupation by

3567-576: The British secured the Dutch settlement of Singapore as well as Dutch possessions in the Malay Peninsula ( Malaya ) and Dutch India . The resulting borders between former British and Dutch possessions remain today between modern Malaysia and Indonesia. Since the establishment of the VOC in the 17th century, the expansion of Dutch territory had been a business matter. Graaf van den Bosch 's governor-generalship (1830–1835) confirmed profitability as

3690-419: The Dutch East Indies to the Republic of the United States of Indonesia . The revolution marked the end of the colonial administration of the Dutch East Indies , except for New Guinea . It also significantly changed ethnic castes as well as reducing the power of many of the local rulers ( raja ). It did not significantly improve the economic or political fortunes of the majority of the population, although

3813-645: The Dutch East Indies were considered crucial for the Japanese war effort. Allied forces were quickly overwhelmed by the Japanese and on 8 March 1942 the Royal Dutch East Indies Army surrendered in Java. Fuelled by the Japanese Light of Asia war propaganda and the Indonesian National Awakening , a vast majority of the indigenous Dutch East Indies population first welcomed the Japanese as liberators from

Saukorem - Misplaced Pages Continue

3936-547: The Dutch East Indies. In 1811 Daendels was replaced by Governor-General Jan Willem Janssens , but shortly after his arrival, British forces occupied several Dutch East Indies ports including the Spice islands in 1810 and Java the following year , leading to Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles becoming Lieutenant Governor. Following Napoleon's defeat at the 1815 Battle of Waterloo and the Congress of Vienna , independent Dutch control

4059-563: The Dutch Parliament on 20 December 1946. It was formally signed by the parties on 25 March 1947 in Djakarta, with the Indonesian side rejecting the "elucidation". After this high point in the relations between the two countries, the situation rapidly deteriorated. On both sides more extreme parties got the upper hand. The Dutch unilaterally instituted an interim government for the colony on a "federal" basis, with representation for

4182-478: The Dutch conquests were installed as regents and indigenous aristocracy became an indigenous civil service. While they lost de facto control, their wealth and splendour under the Dutch grew. This indirect rule did not disturb the peasantry and was cost-effective for the Dutch; in 1900, only 250 European and 1,500 indigenous civil servants, and 16,000 Dutch officers and men and 26,000 hired native troops, were required to rule 35 million colonial subjects. From 1910,

4305-541: The Dutch created the most centralised state power in Southeast Asia . Politically, the highly centralised power structure established by the Dutch administration, including the exorbitant powers of exile and censorship, was carried over into the new Indonesian republic. A People's Council called the Volksraad for the Dutch East Indies commenced in 1918. The Volksraad was limited to an advisory role and only

4428-499: The European legal class and in 1922 a supplemental legal enactment introduced the creation of a 'Home guard' ( Dutch : Landstorm ) for European conscripts older than 32. Petitions by Indonesian nationalists to establish military service for indigenous people were rejected. In July 1941 the Volksraad passed law creating a native militia of 18,000 by a majority of 43 to 4, with only the moderate Great Indonesia Party objecting. After

4551-710: The Imperial Japanese forces stationed there, as well as maintaining order on the island until the Dutch could return. As US forces were focusing on the Japanese home islands, the archipelago was put under the jurisdiction of British Admiral Earl Louis Mountbatten , the Supreme Allied Commander , South East Asia Command . Allied enclaves already existed in Kalimantan (Indonesian Borneo ), Morotai ( Maluku ) and parts of Irian Jaya ; Dutch administrators had already returned to these areas. In

4674-700: The Indies. During the occupation, the Njai and their mixed-race children were forcefully separated from European men, who were put into internment camps. After Sukarno proclaimed an independent Indonesia, the Njai were forced to choose between going with their partners to Europe, or staying in Indonesia. The Netherlands capitulated their European territory to Germany on May 14, 1940. The royal family fled to exile in Britain. Germany and Japan were Axis allies. On 27 September 1940, Germany, Hungary , Italy and Japan signed

4797-610: The Japanese navy areas, the arrival of Allied troops quickly prevented revolutionary activities where Australian troops, followed by Dutch troops and administrators, took the Japanese surrender (except for Bali and Lombok ). Due to the lack of strong resistance, two Australian Army divisions succeeded in occupying eastern Indonesia. The British were charged with restoring order and civilian government in Java. The Dutch took this to mean pre-war colonial administration and continued to claim sovereignty over Indonesia. The British and Indian troops did not, however, land on Java to accept

4920-657: The Japanese surrender in August 1945, nationalist leaders Sukarno and Mohammad Hatta declared Indonesian independence. A four-and-a-half-year struggle followed as the Dutch tried to re-establish their colony; although Dutch forces re-occupied most of Indonesia's territory a guerrilla struggle ensued, and the majority of Indonesians, and ultimately international opinion, favoured Indonesian independence. The Netherlands committed war crimes: summary and arbitrary killings of Indonesian villagers and farmers, torture of Indonesian prisoners and execution of prisoners. Ad van Liempt documented

5043-587: The Japanese surrender until late September 1945. Lord Mountbatten's immediate tasks included the repatriation of some 300,000 Japanese, and freeing prisoners of war. He did not want, nor did he have the resources, to commit his troops to a long struggle to regain Indonesia for the Dutch. The first British troops reached Jakarta in late September 1945, and arrived in the cities of Medan ( North Sumatra ), Padang ( West Sumatra ), Palembang ( South Sumatra ), Semarang ( Central Java ) and Surabaya ( East Java ) in October. In an attempt to avoid clashes with Indonesians,

Saukorem - Misplaced Pages Continue

5166-675: The Japanese, and denounced the Republic as a creation of Japanese fascism . The Dutch East Indies administration had just received a ten million dollar loan from the United States to finance its return to Indonesia. The Netherlands, however, was critically weakened from World War II in Europe and did not return as a significant military force until early 1946. The Japanese and members of the Allied forces reluctantly agreed to act as caretakers. Australian forces of I Corps under general Leslie Morshead had landed in Borneo in May 1945, to destroy

5289-430: The Japanese, the internment of all Dutch citizens meant that Indonesians filled many leadership and administrative positions. In contrast to Dutch repression of Indonesian nationalism, the Japanese allowed indigenous leaders to forge links among the masses, and they trained and armed the younger generations. According to a UN report, four million people died in Indonesia as a result of the Japanese occupation. Following

5412-531: The Japanese. Command structures and membership vital for a national army were consequently dismantled. Thus, rather than being formed from a trained, armed, and organised army, the Republican armed forces began to grow in September from usually younger, less trained groups built around charismatic leaders. Creating a rational military structure that was obedient to central authority from such disorganisation,

5535-633: The Netherlands East Indies Government in exile was based). These strikes were only fully broken in July 1946. The Japanese, on the other hand, were required by the terms of the surrender to both lay down their arms and maintain order; a contradiction that some resolved by handing weapons to Japanese-trained Indonesians. The resulting power vacuums in Java and Sumatra in the weeks following the Japanese surrender created an atmosphere of uncertainty, but also one of opportunity for

5658-404: The Netherlands government apologised for the violence used against the Indonesian people, an apology repeated by King Willem-Alexander on a state visit in 2020. To this day, the colonial war is commonly referred to as "police actions" in the Netherlands. Since the VOC era, the highest Dutch authority in the colony resided with the office of the governor-general. During the Dutch East Indies era

5781-607: The Netherlands recognised Indonesian sovereignty in December 1949. The KNIL was disbanded by 26 July 1950 with its indigenous personnel being given the option of demobilising or joining the Indonesian military . At the time of disbandment the KNIL numbered 65,000, of whom 26,000 were incorporated into the new Indonesian Army. The remainder were either demobilised or transferred to the Netherlands Army. Key officers in

5904-577: The Preparatory Committee for Indonesian Independence. With general elections yet to be held, a Central Indonesian National Committee (KNIP) was appointed to assist the President. Similar committees were established at provincial and regency levels. Questions of allegiance immediately arose amongst indigenous rulers. Central Javanese principalities, for example, immediately declared themselves Republican, while many raja ('rulers') of

6027-502: The Republican Governor of Jakarta, a Menadonese Christian. Many Balinese raja accepted Republican authority. Fearing the Dutch would attempt to re-establish their authority over Indonesia, the new Republican Government and its leaders moved quickly to strengthen the fledgling administration. Within Indonesia, the newly formed government, although enthusiastic, was fragile and focused in Java (where focused at all). It

6150-529: The Republicans. Many pemuda joined pro-Republic struggle groups ( badan perjuangan ). The most disciplined were soldiers from the Japanese-formed but disbanded Giyūgun ( PETA , volunteer army) and Heiho (local soldiers employed by Japanese armed forces) groups. Many groups were undisciplined, due to both the circumstances of their formation and what they perceived as revolutionary spirit. In

6273-549: The Supreme Court in Batavia, dealt with appeals and monitored judges and courts throughout the colony. Six councils of justice (Raad van Justitie) dealt mostly with crime committed by people in the European legal class and only indirectly with the indigenous population. The land councils (Landraden) dealt with civil matters and less serious offences like estate divorces, and matrimonial disputes. The indigenous population

SECTION 50

#1732781185765

6396-751: The VOC arrived in the Indonesian archipelago, they started to use and expand upon the then-existing indigenous system of slavery. In certain places slaves were used on plantations such as on the Maluku islands, namely the Banda islands where most of the local population had been deported or exterminated by the VOC to be replaced with slaves. Dutch slaves worked in agriculture, manufacturing, and services, but most were used as domestic servants including housemaids and houseboys, cooks, seamstresses, musicians, and concubines. Slaves could be acquired through trade at indigenous slave markets or captured on raids. In certain cases

6519-414: The VOC stirred up ethnic tensions between rivalling populations in the hope they could cheaply buy war captives at slave markets after the conflict. Slaves were transported from islands in Indonesia itself, or from other countries such as India and China. Estimates of the scale of the slave trade in the Dutch East Indies are scant, but it is suggested that around 1 million slaves were active during its peak in

6642-462: The absolute right to ban, censor or restrict any publication in the colony. The so-called exorbitant powers of the governor-general allowed him to exile anyone regarded as subversive and dangerous to peace and order, without involving any Court of Law. Until 1848 the governor-general was directly appointed by the Dutch monarch, and in later years via the Crown and on advice of the Dutch metropolitan cabinet. During two periods (1815–1835 and 1854–1925)

6765-482: The archipelago to prevent intervention from other Western powers during the European push for colonial possessions . As exploitation of Indonesian resources expanded off Java, most of the outer islands came under direct Dutch government control or influence. The Dutch subjugated the Minangkabau of Sumatra in the Padri War (1821–38) and the Java War (1825–30) ended significant Javanese resistance. The Banjarmasin War (1859–1863) in southeast Kalimantan resulted in

6888-458: The bankruptcy of the VOC in 1798, but continued under Dutch state rule. Due to growing international criticism slavery was eventually abolished in the Dutch East Indies in 1860. In reality this was mostly limited to the slaves present on Java and Madura, whose masters were financially compensated for the loss of their workforce. However, on many other islands where slave masters were more often indigenous rulers, little changed. The main reason for this

7011-446: The colonial Government Navy . The KNIL was not part of the Royal Netherlands Army , but a separate military arm commanded by the governor-general and funded by the colonial budget. The KNIL was not allowed to recruit Dutch conscripts and had the nature of a ' Foreign Legion ' recruiting not only Dutch volunteers, but many other European nationalities (especially German, Belgian and Swiss mercenaries). While most officers were Europeans,

7134-429: The colonial Dutch empire, but this sentiment quickly changed as the occupation turned out to be far more oppressive and ruinous than the Dutch colonial government. The Japanese occupation during World War II brought about the fall of the colonial state in Indonesia, as the Japanese removed as much of the Dutch government structure as they could, replacing it with their own regime. Although the top positions were held by

7257-558: The colonial justice system. The Coolie Ordinances ("Poenale sanctie") of 1880, which allowed the plantation owners to serve as judge, jury and executioner resulted in widespread atrocities. It included a penal sanction which allowed owners to physically punish their coolies as they saw fit. Punishments that were used against coolies included whippings or beatings, after which the open wounds were rubbed with salt. Other punishments used were electrocution, crucifixion and suspending coolies by their toes or thumbs until they broke. Medical care for

7380-464: The colony from 1913, and quasi-diplomatic ties were established with Arabia to manage the Haji pilgrimage from the Dutch East Indies. In 1922 the colony came on equal footing with the Netherlands in the Dutch constitution, while remaining under the Ministry of Colonies. The governor-general led a hierarchy of Dutch officials: the residents, the assistant residents, and district officers called controllers . Traditional rulers who survived displacement by

7503-469: The coolies was scarce and often aimed at healing punished coolies so they could return to work or be tortured more extensively. Rape of adult female coolies as well as their children was also common. The coolie system was heavily criticized, especially after 1900 with the rise of the so-called "Ethical Politics". A critical pamphlet named "De miljoenen uit Deli" was published by J. van den Brand. The document described abuses committed against coolies including

SECTION 60

#1732781185765

7626-485: The correctional facility. In response to the communist uprising of 1926 the prison camp Boven-Digoel was established in New Guinea . As of 1927, political prisoners, including indigenous Indonesians espousing Indonesian independence, were 'exiled' to the outer islands. The Dutch East Indies was divided into three gouvernementen —Groot Oost, Borneo and Sumatra—and three provincies in Java. Provincies and gouvernementen were both divided into residencies, but while

7749-481: The declaration of independence in 1945, Dutch control over the Indonesian archipelago was always tenuous. Although Java was dominated by the Dutch, many areas remained independent throughout much of this time, including Aceh , Bali , Lombok and Borneo . There were numerous wars and disturbances across the archipelago as various indigenous groups resisted efforts to establish Dutch hegemony, which weakened Dutch control and tied up its military forces. Piracy remained

7872-411: The declaration of war with Japan, over 100,000 natives volunteered. The KNIL hastily and inadequately attempted to transform them into a modern military force able to protect the Dutch East Indies from Imperial Japanese invasion. On the eve of the Japanese invasion in December 1941, Dutch regular troops in the East Indies comprised about 1,000 officers and 34,000 men, of whom 28,000 were indigenous. During

7995-409: The defeat of the Sultan. After failed expeditions to conquer Bali in 1846 and 1848 , an 1849 intervention brought northern Bali under Dutch control. The most prolonged military expedition was the Aceh War in which a Dutch invasion in 1873 was met with indigenous guerrilla resistance and ended with an Acehnese surrender in 1912. Disturbances continued to break out on both Java and Sumatra during

8118-439: The departed and are believed to safeguard the vital force which is contained within the skull of the deceased. The locals are also noted for their independent production of bark-cloth. Some of the Dore women of the village tattoo their breasts and face in a ritual which it is called "pa," performed with thorns and using charcoal to rub over the bloody spots. The locals are said to be particularly adept at canoe building, producing

8241-425: The early 1620s. Scholars writing in English use the terms Indië , Indies , the Dutch East Indies , the Netherlands Indies , and colonial Indonesia interchangeably. At the time when Europeans arrived, the Indonesian archipelago supported various states, including commercially oriented coastal trading states and inland agrarian states (the most important were Srivijaya and Majapahit ). Since centuries BCE

8364-399: The educational reforms of the Dutch Ethical Policy . The occupation of Indonesia by Japan for three and a half years during World War II was a crucial factor in the subsequent revolution. The Netherlands had minimal ability to defend its colony against the Japanese army , and within only three months of their initial attacks, the Japanese had occupied the Dutch East Indies. In Java, and to

8487-475: The first half of the 20th century. Budi Utomo, Sarekat Islam and others pursued strategies of co-operation by joining the Dutch initiated Volksraad ("People's Council") in the hope that Indonesia would be granted self-rule. Others chose a non-cooperative strategy demanding the freedom of self-government from the Dutch East Indies colony. The most notable of these leaders were Sukarno and Mohammad Hatta , two students and nationalist leaders who had benefited from

8610-427: The first weeks, Japanese troops often withdrew from urban areas to avoid confrontations. By September 1945, control of major infrastructure installations, including railway stations and trams in Java's largest cities, had been taken over by Republican pemuda who encountered little Japanese resistance. To spread the revolutionary message, pemuda set up their own radio stations and newspapers, and graffiti proclaimed

8733-423: The foundation of official policy, restricting its attention to Java, Sumatra and Bangka . However, from about 1840, Dutch national expansionism saw them wage a series of wars to enlarge and consolidate their possessions in the outer islands. Motivations included the protection of areas already held, the intervention of Dutch officials ambitious for glory or promotion, and the aim to establish Dutch claims throughout

8856-400: The governor-general functioned as chief executive president of colonial government and served as commander-in-chief of the colonial army ( KNIL ). Until 1903 all government officials and organisations were formal agents of the governor-general and were entirely dependent on the central administration of the 'office of the governor-general' for their budgets. Until 1815 the governor-general had

8979-611: The governor-general ruled jointly with an advisory board called the Raad van Indie (Indies Council). Colonial policy and strategy were the responsibility of the Ministry of Colonies based in The Hague . From 1815 to 1848 the ministry was under direct authority of the Dutch king. In the 20th century the colony gradually developed as a state distinct from the Dutch metropole with its treasury separated in 1903, public loans being contracted by

9102-474: The house they worked in as so-called "Indigenous Furniture" ( Inlands Meubel ). Njai were also not allowed custody of the children they had with their Dutch masters, and when they were fired, their children would be taken away. By the 1910s the number of Njai had decreased, although prostitution had become more prevalent. The practice had not died out, however, by the time the Empire of Japan invaded and occupied

9225-461: The independence of Indonesia. Matters which concern the transfer of power and other things will be executed by careful means and in the shortest possible time. Djakarta, 17 August 1945 In the name of the people of Indonesia, [signed] Soekarno—Hatta (translation by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs , October 1948) It was mid-September before news of the declaration of independence spread to

9348-412: The islands were part of migratory and commercial exchange within Southeast Asia , India , Arabian peninsula and east-Africa . From classical antiquity onwards the archipelago was also a major part of the global spice trade . For centuries Hindu-Buddhist civilizations were dominant; however, increasing trade links instigated the spread of Islam . By the 16th century, a large part of the archipelago

9471-407: The late 19th century, increasing numbers of Dutch immigrants arrived in colonial Indonesia, leading to a shortage of available women, as most immigrants were men. The Dutch then bought the "Njai", who were indigenous women who officially served as maids but were often also used as concubines . While officially contract workers, these women enjoyed few rights. They could be bought and sold together with

9594-473: The local population; at its height, over 1 million farmers worked under the Cultuurstelsel and the extreme incentive for profit resulted in widespread abuses. Farmers were often forced to either use more than 20% of their farmland, or the most fertile land, for cultivation of cash crops. The system led to an increase in famine and disease among Javanese peasants in the 1840s. According to one estimate,

9717-401: The major towns, cities and industrial assets in Republican heartlands on Java and Sumatra but could not control the countryside. By 1949, international pressure on the Netherlands, the United States threatening to cut off all economic aid for World War II rebuilding efforts to the Netherlands and the partial military stalemate became such that the Netherlands transferred sovereignty over

9840-456: The majority of soldiers were indigenous Indonesians, the largest contingent of which were Javanese and Sundanese . Dutch policy before the 1870s was to take full charge of strategic points and work out treaties with the local leaders elsewhere so they would remain in control and co-operate. The policy failed in Aceh , in northern Sumatra, where the Sultan tolerated pirates who raided commerce in

9963-451: The mass murder of 364 Indonesians by Dutch soldiers in the village of Galoeng Galoeng. Alfred Edelstein and Karin van Coevorden, documented later the execution of hundreds of men in the village of Rawagede . The independence movement during the later phases of the Bersiap also targeted Dutch and Eurasian civilians, particularly under the direction of Sutomo who personally supervised the summary executions of hundreds of civilians. After

10086-476: The modern state of Indonesia , which declared independence on 17 August 1945. Following the Indonesian War of Independence , Indonesia and the Netherlands made peace in 1949. In the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824 , the Dutch ceded the governorate of Dutch Malacca to Britain, leading to its eventual incorporation into Malacca (state) of modern Malaysia . The Dutch East Indies was formed from

10209-576: The mortality rates increased by as much as 30% during this period. Due to widespread criticism of the system, it was abolished in 1870. According to one study, the mortality rate in Java would have been 10–20% higher by the late 1870s if the Cultivation system had not been abolished. The introduction of trucks, railways, telegraph systems, and more coordinated distribution systems all contributed to famine elimination in Java which had historically been common. Java experienced rapid population growth during

10332-550: The nationalised trading posts of the Dutch East India Company , which came under the administration of the Dutch government in 1800. During the 19th century, the Dutch fought many wars against indigenous rulers and peoples, which caused hundreds of thousands of deaths. Dutch rule reached its greatest territorial extent in the early 20th century with the occupation of Western New Guinea . The Dutch East Indies

10455-449: The nationalist sentiment. On most islands, struggle committees and militia were set up. Republican newspapers and journals were common in Jakarta, Yogyakarta , and Surakarta , which fostered a generation of writers known as angkatan 45 ('generation of 45') many of whom believed their work could be part of the revolution. Republican leaders struggled to come to terms with popular sentiment; some wanted passionate armed struggle; others

10578-486: The ongoing expense of war, corruption, and mismanagement led to bankruptcy by the end of the 18th century. The company was formally dissolved in 1800 and its colonial possessions in the Indonesian archipelago (including much of Java , parts of Sumatra , much of Maluku , and the hinterlands of ports such as Makasar , Manado and Kupang ) were nationalized under the Dutch Republic as the Dutch East Indies. When

10701-536: The original crew made it back to Holland and other Dutch expeditions soon followed. Recognising the potential of the East Indies trade, the Dutch government amalgamated the competing companies into the United East India Company ( Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie or VOC). In March 1602 the VOC was granted a charter to wage war, build fortresses, and make treaties across Asia. A capital

10824-502: The outer islands, and many Indonesians far from the capital Jakarta did not believe it. As the news spread, most Indonesians came to regard themselves as pro-Republican, and a mood of revolution swept across the country. External power had shifted; it would be weeks before Allied Forces shipping entered Indonesia (owing in part to boycotts and strikes, in Australia , on coaling, loading and manning Dutch shipping from Australia, where

10947-595: The outer islands, who had been enriched from their support of the Dutch, were less enthusiastic. Such reluctance among many outer islands was sharpened by the radical, non-aristocratic, and sometimes Islamic nature of the Java-centric Republican leadership. Support did, however, come from South Sulawesi (including the King of Bone , who still recalled battles against the Dutch from early in the century), and from Makassarese and Bugis raja , who supported

11070-490: The parent's views of which children are truly "biological" or not. The people of Saukorem and this area of the Bird's Head peninsula are said to produce wooden figures which are known as Korwar figures. They are often made with glass beads for eyes and a neckband made of bark-cloth and with the skulls of deceased family members. The Korwar figures in particular which are made with skulls are said to provide an abode for spirits of

11193-560: The parts of the colony not represented by the Republik. This was unacceptable to Sukarno. Sjahrir proposed a compromise, but this was rejected by the Dutch. Sjahrir resigned and was replaced by Sjarifuddin. Sukarno declared a state of emergency in the areas that were in the hands of the Republik and assumed charge of the negotiations. The situation deteriorated further, and the Dutch resorted to military intervention under Operation Product (or first "politionele actie" ). The Commission General

11316-747: The plantations in Sumatra and Java to perform harsh labor. It is estimated that over 500,000 coolies were transported to Sumatra during the late 19th and early 20th century. The precise death rate among coolie laborers is hard to estimate due to scarce or unreliable records but has been estimated to be as high as 25% in certain places, with a possible death toll of many tens of thousands. While coolies were often paid laborers who worked out of free will, in practice their circumstances often involved forced labor and more closely resembled slavery. They were often misled when signing work contracts or even forced to sign contracts. Others were kidnapped or forced to work due to debts or were criminals sentenced to forced labour by

11439-645: The political situation in Indonesia devolved into a deadlock the new Dutch government, led by Louis Beel of the Catholic People's Party, formed a Commissie-Generaal voor Nederlands-Indië (Commission General for the Dutch Indies) on 14 September 1946. This Commission-General consisted of Willem Schermerhorn , Dutch Prime Minister from 1945 to 1946; F. De Boer, Liberal politician; Max van Poll, Catholic Party politician; and Hubertus van Mook , Lieutenant-Governor General (ex officio). The Commission achieved

11562-412: The population by means of a 'strategy of awe'. When a guerrilla war did take place the Dutch used either a slow, violent occupation or a campaign of destruction. By 1900 the archipelago was considered "pacified" and the KNIL was mainly involved with military police tasks. The nature of the KNIL changed in 1917 when the colonial government introduced obligatory military service for all male conscripts in

11685-557: The provisions of the New York Agreement . At that point, the entirety of the colony ceased to exist. The word Indies comes from Latin : Indus ( Names for India ). The original name Dutch Indies ( Dutch : Nederlandsch-Indië ) was translated by the English as the Dutch East Indies , to keep it distinct from the Dutch West Indies . The name Dutch Indies is recorded in the Dutch East India Company 's documents of

11808-526: The remainder of the 19th century. This included the Banten Peasant's Revolt in the aftermath of the tremendous eruption of Krakatoa in 1883. However, the island of Lombok came under Dutch control in 1894, and Batak resistance in northern Sumatra was quashed in 1895. Towards the end of the 19th century, the balance of military power shifted towards the industrialising Dutch and against pre-industrial independent indigenous Indonesian polities as

11931-703: The remaining independent local rulers. Southwestern Sulawesi was occupied in 1905–06, the island of Bali was subjugated with military conquests in 1906 and 1908 , as were the remaining independent kingdoms in Maluku, Sumatra, Kalimantan and Nusa Tenggara . Other rulers including the Sultans of Tidore in Maluku, Pontianak (Kalimantan) and Palembang in Sumatra , requested Dutch protection from independent neighbours thereby avoiding Dutch military conquest and were able to negotiate better conditions under colonial rule. The Bird's Head Peninsula ( Western New Guinea ),

12054-694: The residencies under the provincies were divided again into regentschappen , residencies under gouvermenten were divided into afdeelingen first before being subdivided into regentschappen . The Royal Netherlands East Indies Army (KNIL) and its air arm, the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force (ML-KNIL), were established in 1814 and 1915, respectively. Naval forces of the Royal Netherlands Navy were based in Surabaya , supplemented by

12177-651: The revolution and became a national symbol of Indonesian resistance. Pemuda groups in Surabaya, the second largest city in Indonesia, seized arms and ammunition from the Japanese and set up two new organisations; the Indonesia National Committee (KNI) and the People's Security Council (BKR). By the time the Allied forces arrived at the end of October 1945, the pemuda foothold in Surabaya city

12300-476: The second politionele actie, or Operation Kraai , in December 1948. This was militarily successful (the Dutch managed to capture Sukarno), but again international political pressure forced the Dutch to back down and be party to the Roem–Van Roijen Agreement (7 May 1949). The Dutch–Indonesian Round Table Conference then started on 22 August 1949, which led to the agreement to transfer sovereignty to

12423-410: The self-proclaimed pemuda , who were ready to die for '100% freedom', were getting impatient. It was common for ethnic 'out-groups' – Dutch internees, Eurasian , Ambonese and Chinese – and anyone considered to be a spy, to be subjected to intimidation, kidnapping, robbery, murder and organised massacres. Such attacks would continue throughout the course of the revolution, but were most present during

12546-484: The slave was found guilty in an official court case. In reality however abuse of slaves by their masters was rampant and often went unpunished. Beatings and whippings were a commonplace punishment for disobedient slaves. Rape of female slaves by their masters was a common occurrence as well, as these women and girls were obliged to provide sexual services for their masters. Refusing to do so could result in severe physical punishment. Slavery and its excesses did not end with

12669-660: The southeast of the village a major river, known as the Wampai River flows into the sea and the Wepe River is also said to flow nearby Saukorem. South of the village lies the Kebar Valley and the Tamrau Mountains , with an altitude of no less than 2500 m. It contains populations of heron . The Kebar Valley further inland in parts lies at 2000 feet or 600 metres above sea level. A notable path runs through

12792-527: The subsequent revolution, the Japanese destroyed and replaced much of the Dutch-created economic, administrative, and political infrastructure. On 7 September 1944, with the war going badly for the Japanese, Prime Minister Koiso promised independence for Indonesia, but no date was set. For supporters of Sukarno, this announcement was seen as vindication for his collaboration with the Japanese. The unconditional surrender of Japan on August 15, 1945

12915-399: The technology gap widened. Military leaders and Dutch politicians believed they had a moral duty to free the native Indonesian peoples from indigenous rulers who were considered oppressive, backward, or disrespectful of international law. Although Indonesian rebellions broke out, direct colonial rule was extended throughout the rest of the archipelago from 1901 to 1910 and control taken from

13038-514: The terms of their surrender, the Japanese tried to re-establish the authority they had relinquished to Indonesians in the towns and cities. Japanese military police killed Republican pemuda in Pekalongan (Central Java) on 3 October, and Japanese troops drove Republican pemuda out of Bandung in West Java and handed the city to the British, but the fiercest fighting involving the Japanese

13161-478: The torture and sexual abuse of a 15-year-old female coolie who had rejected sexual advances of a Dutch plantation overseer. The penal sanction was eventually abolished in 1931 and the Coolie Ordinances ended in the early 1940s. During earlier stages of colonization female indigenous sex slaves were bought by Dutch colonials, but this practice was cut short after 1860 with the abolition of slavery. In

13284-600: The unruliest inmates. In the Sawahlunto prison on Sumatra prisoners had to perform manual labour in the coal mines. Separate prisons were built for juveniles (West Java) and for women. In the Bulu women's prison in Semarang inmates had the opportunity to learn a profession during their detention, such as sewing, weaving and making batik . This training was held in high esteem and helped re-socialise women once they were outside

13407-411: The valley and mountains connecting the village to the settlement of Andai and reaches an altitude of 1200 metres. The village lies on the northern part of Geelvink Bay on a smaller bay known as Dore Bay and there is said to be a channel which allows boats to easily land, whatever the state of the tide and surf. A lighthouse is located at Saukorem, located 14 miles east-southeast of Saukris . It

13530-417: Was brought under Dutch administration in 1920. This final territorial range would form the territory of the Republic of Indonesia . The colonial wars in the Dutch East Indies exacted a heavy toll on the Indonesian population, with around 3 to 4 million deaths including both direct war casualties and indirect victims of war due to famine and disease. Due to the high monetary costs of several Dutch conquests in

13653-478: Was dissolved in 1942 during the Japanese occupation. The legal system was divided by the three main ethnic groups classified under the Dutch colonial administration— Europeans, Foreign Orientals (Arabs and the Chinese) and the indigenous— which were subject to their own legal systems that were all simultaneously in force. The Dutch government adapted the Dutch codes of law in its colony. The highest court of law,

13776-518: Was dissolved on 15 November 1947 after Schermerhorn and Van Poll resigned. The Politionele Actie did not achieve its goals, and international pressure forced the Dutch government to accept a cease-fire and the Renville Agreement (17 January 1948). This agreement, however, did not lead to a solution. Provocative actions from both sides led to a tense military situation, and the Dutch for the second time resorted to military intervention with

13899-483: Was eagerly received by the radical and politicised pemuda (Indonesian for 'male youth') groups. They pressured Sukarno and Hatta to proclaim Indonesian independence on 17 August 1945, two days later. The following day, the Preparatory Committee for Indonesian Independence (PPKI) elected Sukarno as president , and Hatta as vice-president . PROCLAMATION We, the people of Indonesia, hereby declare

14022-476: Was established in Batavia (now Jakarta ), which became the center of the VOC's Asian trading network. To their original monopolies on nutmeg , peppers , cloves and cinnamon , the company and later colonial administrations introduced non-indigenous cash crops like coffee, tea, cacao, tobacco, rubber, sugar and opium, and safeguarded their commercial interests by taking over surrounding territory. Smuggling,

14145-409: Was financial, as the Dutch state at that time did not want to spend the money necessary to free the slaves on the more distant islands. Another reason was to appease local rulers and to prevent political turmoil. Due to the lax policy of the Dutch state slavery persisted in parts of the Dutch East Indies well into the 20th century. From the arrival of the first Dutch ships in the late 16th century, to

14268-577: Was in Semarang. On 14 October, British forces began to occupy the city. Retreating Republican forces retaliated by killing between 130 and 300 Japanese prisoners they were holding. Five hundred Japanese and two thousand Indonesians had been killed and the Japanese had almost captured the city six days later when British forces arrived. The Allies repatriated the remaining Japanese troops and civilians to Japan, although about 1,000 elected to remain behind and later assisted Republican forces in fighting for independence. The British subsequently decided to evacuate

14391-506: Was one of the major problems of the revolution, a problem that remains through to contemporary times. In the self-created Indonesian army, Japanese-trained Indonesian officers prevailed over those trained by the Dutch. A thirty-year-old former school teacher, Sudirman , was elected 'commander-in-chief' at the first meeting of Division Commanders in Yogyakarta on 12 November 1945. The Dutch accused Sukarno and Hatta of collaborating with

14514-414: Was one of the most valuable colonies under European rule, though its profits depended on exploitative labor. The colony contributed to Dutch global prominence in spice and cash crop trade in the 19th century, and coal and oil exploration in the 20th century. The colonial social order was rigidly racial with the Dutch elite living separately from but linked to their native subjects. The term Indonesia

14637-536: Was rarely and loosely in contact with the outer islands, which had more Japanese troops (particularly in Japanese naval areas), less sympathetic Japanese commanders, and fewer Republican leaders and activists. In November 1945, a parliamentary form of government was established and Sjahrir was appointed prime minister. In the week following the Japanese surrender, the Giyūgun (PETA) and Heiho groups were disbanded by

14760-509: Was restored in 1816 on the basis of the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1814 . The Commissioners-General of the Dutch East Indies reformed the public finances of the colony and drew up a new Regeringsreglement that would define the government of the colony for a century. Under the 1824 Anglo-Dutch Treaty the Dutch secured the Kepaksian Pernong Sekala Brak and British settlements such as Bengkulu , both in Sumatra , and

14883-560: Was ruled under Islamic kingdoms , except Bali that retained a Hindu majority. Sultanates, city states , local kingdoms and tribes were all connected through trade, creating a mixed Hindu-Buddhist-Islamic culture , and Malay as a lingua franca throughout the region. The islands were known to the Europeans and were sporadically visited by expeditions such as that of Italians Marco Polo in 1292 and Odoric of Pordenone in 1321. The first Europeans to establish themselves in Indonesia were

15006-439: Was subject to their respective adat law and to indigenous regents and district courts, unless cases were escalated before Dutch judges. Following Indonesian independence, the Dutch legal system was adopted and gradually a national legal system based on Indonesian precepts of law and justice was established. By 1920 the Dutch had established 350 prisons throughout the colony. The Meester Cornelis prison in Batavia incarcerated

15129-426: Was used for the geographical location after 1880. In the early 20th century, local intellectuals conceived Indonesia as a nation state , setting the stage for an independence movement. Japan's World War II occupation dismantled much of the Dutch colonial state and economy. Following the Japanese surrender on 15 August 1945, Indonesian nationalist leaders Sukarno and Hatta declared independence , instigating

#764235