The bamboo spear pierces the payung : the revolution against the bureaucratic elite in north central Java in 1945

Abstract

The conflict between the Dutch-trained bureaucratic elite and the revolutionary movement in Pekalongan Residency on Java's North Coast in 1945 had its origins in the impact of Western capitalism in the area, particularly in the way the sugar mills exacerbated existing cleavages in peasant communities. During the Japanese occupation the gap between the bureaucratic elite and the people increased, the elite being forced to become economic supervisors for the Japanese. Compulsory rice requisitioning, forced labour and rationing added new burdens to the peasantry. By 1944 famine conditions existed in many areas of the Residency. The attitude of the bureaucratic elite after the Proclamation of Independence caused fresh tensions with revolutionary leaders, who saw the elite (who openly stated that they were waiting for the Dutch to return) as hindering the struggle for Independence. The social revolution of October-November 1945 was characterised by violence towards Chinese, Eurasians and officials. The entire bureaucratic elite at the district, subdistrict and village levels was overthrown, in popular actions led by semi-bandits. At the forefront of the revolutionary vanguard,the underground PKI formed a United Front and led what became known as the 'Tiga Daerah' Movement which aimed to democratise all levels of government. For about six weeks the three regions of Brebes, Tegal and Pemalang were ruled by local revolutionaries through working committees. Four days after taking over the Residency capital in early December 1945, the Republican army imprisoned the newly appointed communist Resident and all the Tiga Daerah revolutionaries as well, in a subsequent counter-revolution supported by Muslim groups. Locally initiated legal action against the imprisoned revolutionaries dragged on throughout 1946, when the central government finally took over investigations. Six revolutionaries finally brought to trial in April 1947 were eventually released, but the popular figure Kutil became the first Indonesian to be sentenced to death by formal judicial process in the new Republic. Show more