5.4 Revolutionary Violence (interview)

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Description

After the Republic was proclaimed, the Indonesian revolution broke out, sparking a particularly violent period that is known in the Netherlands as the Bersiap. This word, which means ‘be prepared’ in Indonesian, became the battle cry for the pemuda, the youth militias, aimed at everyone who refused to accept Indonesia’s independence or who was suspected of this. While the period was dominated by Indonesian violence against the Indisch Europeans, Moluccans, Dutch and Chinese, there were many different victims and perpetrators of this extreme brutality. Violence could trigger an escalation in the form of reprisals. Pemudas attacked the Christian village in which Mr C., a Moluccan, lived. After being abused and humiliated, he was freed from Bogor (Buitenzorg) prison by British Gurkha troops. He then voluntarily joined the British army to take action against the Indonesians. Mr C.’s account shows how perpetrators and victims were not clearly defined separate categories in this early phase of the war of independence.

Anonymized interview with Mr C. SMGI 1303.3 (2), 1998.

Transcription

I: “Did the British take untrained youths and volunteers to fight alongside them?”

C: “Yes, you could apply to the British camp as a volunteer. These were police actions to stop the extremists infiltrating. And of course we were really keen to do something in return if possible. So for us, it was of course really fine to be able to take part in these police actions together with the British army.”

I: “Did you have any sense that it would be dangerous?”

C: “Sure, that was made completely clear beforehand. These weren’t games you were playing out there: they were serious operations. So you had to be aware of that, of course.”

I: “Did you have to sign anything?”

C: “Well, no. We were so fanatically involved in the situation that we wanted to do our bit for these operations.”

I: “And your parents?”

C: “My father was dead against it at first, of course. But you still pushed to be allowed to join them. I went along several times — two or three times, I think. Afterwards, I concentrated more on school.”