COMMUNISM, RELIGION AND REVOLT IN BANTEN IN THE EARLY TWENTIETH CENTURY by- Michael Charles Williams Thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. Ju ly 1984 ProQuest Number: 10673215 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a com plete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. uest ProQuest 10673215 Published by ProQuest LLC(2017). Copyright of the Dissertation is held by the Author. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States C ode Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106- 1346 COMMUNISM, RELIGION AND REVOLT IN BANTEN IN THE EARLY TWENTIETH CENTURY A b stra c t Twice in this century popular revolts against colonial rule have occurred in the Banten district of West Java. These revolts, conducted largely under an Islamic leadership, also proclaimed themselves Communist. They sought to overturn the status quo in the name of revolution, but also looked back to the pre-colonial era for inspiration. Bantenese society in the early twentieth century possessed strong local characteristics which distinguished it from the rest of Java. Although there had been some spread of cash crops, its economy was extremely vulnerable due to infertility of the soil and poor irrigation. Migration, both temporary and permanent, provided the region with a lifeline and an opportunity for economic advancement for some. Village society was dominated by three powerful groups: the religious leaders, local strongmen or bandits and nobles who were descendants of the former sultans. Great resentment was felt towards both the Dutch and the local Indonesian administration, many of whom were non-Bantenese. These two groups were the targets of local hostility. The primary division that ran through Bantenese society was therefore not between peasant and landlord but between peasant and agent of government. Advantage was taken of this division by the Sarekat Islam in the 1910s and by the Communist Party (PKI) in the 1920s. The Communist Party succeeded in mobilizing a large part of Bantenese society under its wings and this political mobilization culminated in the revolt of November 1926. Whilst the revolt was Communist in 3 . name, however, its leadership was in the hands of the traditional power holders of rural Bantenese society, especially the religious leaders. The revolt was followed by a period of sharp colonial repression and enforced political quiescence. The collapse of the wartime Japanese occupation administration in September 1945 was followed by a popular uprising in Banten led by the same groups who had spearheaded the 1926 revolt. 4 . CONTENTS A b stra c t 2 Acknowledgements 5 Note on spelling 8 Abbreviations 9 Glossary 11 Maps: West Java 17 Residency of Banten in 1930 18 Labuan-Menes area 19 Administrative Divisions of Banten in 1930 20 Introduction , 21 1. The S e ttin g 40 2. Bantenese Society at the Beginning of the Twentieth Century 93 3. Religion and Politics 145 4. The Sarekat Islam 17 8 5. P relu d e to R evolt 227 6. The O utbreak of R evolt 311 7. The Sequel to the Revolt 349 8. S o c ia l R evolution 398 Conclusion 445 Appendix 451 Bibliography 457 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS In the process of undertaking this research and its subsequent writing, I have incurred many debts. My g r e a te s t debt is to my s u p e rv iso r, Ruth McVey, who f i r s t suggested I study Bantenese history in the twentieth century. Her constant encouragement, criticism , advice and painstaking guidance have been invaluable throughout. Her patience as a teacher has taught me much about Southeast Asia and saved me from bestowing on that region preconceived notions derived from elsewhere. Ben Anderson and Audrey Kahin of Cornell University have made helpful and encouraging comments on a number of earlier drafts of several chapters. In the Netherlands, several individuals were helpful to me in my research. Professors W.F. Wertheim and G.F. Pijper gave helpful comments and advice on my research. Fritjof Tichelman and Pieter Korver were invaluable guides to libraries and archives in the Netherlands. I will always owe a special debt to Paramita Abdurrachman, whose hospitality and assistance in countless ways during my stay in Jakarta made research a pleasure. Sartono Kartodirdjo and Onghokham gave generously of their time and advice. Haji Gogo Rafuddin Sanjadirdja, a former Regent of Serang, pointed me in many directions and saved me from many mistakes. Boy Kuntjoro Jakti was generous with his time and willing on many occasions to discuss Bantenese society and history. I owe an immense debt to the many Bantenese who helped me in many ways. The late Lieutenant Colonel Tristan Dendawencana allowed me on many occasions to stay at his house in Baros in Serang 6 . regency which enabled me to have first-hand experience of Bantenese society and history. I will never forget the many hours I spent in discussion with Achmad R if a i, H a ji A f if , Achmad B a ssa if and Ayot S a tr ia w id ja ja , a l l of whom were political prisoners for many years in Boven Digul. They and others, including Tje Mamat, Tubagus Alipan, Entol Mohammad Chusnun, Kiyai Haji Hasbullah, Jaro Kamid and Tubagus Oemaj Martakusumah, were extremely patient and frank in answering my endless questions about the movements they once led. Amongst other Bantenese, I would like to thank in particular Nafsirin Hadi, Lieutenant Colonel Soendji and Djajarukmantara. Many other individuals consented to being interviewed by me and I include a list of those who did in my bibliography. To all of them I owe my th a n k s. A number of individuals very kindly made available to me notes or documents from their personal collections. Some of these would prefer not to be named; I thank them nonetheless for their helpfulness. Among others who have been helpful over the years and have shown an interest in my work I would like to thank Anthony Reid, Anton Lucas, William 0'Malley, Heather Sutherland and Robert Cribb. The Social Science Research Council gave me a twelve-month grant to start this research, which included a period of four and a half months in the Netherlands. The Leverhulme Trust Fund generously funded sixteen months of fieldwork in Indonesia in 7 . 1975-76. I would particularly like to thank its secretary, Miss J.E. Bennett, who was unhesitatingly courteous and helpful in dealing with my requests. I must also record my gratitude for the assistance given me by the Indonesian Academy of Sciences (LIPI) and by the staffs of the Colonial Archives, the Netherlands State Archives and the Defence Ministry Archives in The Hague; The National Archives in Jakarta; the Royal Institute for Linguistics, Geography and Ethnology (KITLV) at Leiden, the International Institute for Social History in Amsterdam, the Royal Tropical Institute in Amsterdam, th e N a tio n al Museum L ib ra ry in J a k a r ta , th e Sono Budoyo Museum in Yogyalcarta (formerly the Java Institute) and the library of the School of Oriental and African Studies of the University of London. Finally, I should like to thank Isobelle M. Jaques who shepherded this thesis through its final typing and for the boundless patience which she displayed whilst doing it. In spite of all the assistance I received from many sources, this work is, of course, my own responsibility and the errors contained herein are mine. NOTE ON SPELLING 8. The Indonesian and Dutch languages have undergone spelling reforms since the period covered by this thesis. Place names and terms in both languages have been rendered into contemporary spelling, as have all Indonesian words and sentences quoted in the text, with the following exceptions: 1. the spelling of Dutch and Indonesian personal names has not been altered; 2. bibliographical items retain the original spelling; 3. where the name of a person interviewed appears in a footnote, it is spelled, as far as possible, according to the known wishes of that person; 4. I have used the name Batavia for Jakarta throughout the colonial period and adopted Jakarta only for the post-1942 period. LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS 9. BB, Binnenlands Bestuur Interior Administration, European Civil Service BKR, Badan Keamanan Rakyat People’s Security Organization BU, Budi Utomo an early Javanese political association DIA Department of Interior Administration DO, Dubbel Organisatie or Double or D ictatorial Organization Dictatoriaal Organisatie ELS, Europeesche la g e re school European elementary school HBS, Hoogere burgerschool Citizens High School, Dutch secondary school HIS, Hollandsch—inlandsch Dutch Native School school ISDV, In d isch e S o ciaal Indies Social Democratic Democratische Vereeniging Association MvO, Memorie van Overgave T ra n sfe r Memorandum, w r itte n on a resident’s resignation OSVIA, Opleiding School voor Training School for Native Inlandsche Ambtenaren O f f ic ia ls PEB, Politielc Economische Bond Political Economic Association PERSI, Persatuan Sopir Indonesian Drivers' Union In d o n esia PETA, Pembela Tanah Air Defenders of the Homeland PID, Politieke Inlichtingen Political Intelligence Service D ien st PKI, Partai Komunis Indonesia Indonesian Communist Party PNI, Partai Nasional Indonesian National Party Ind o n esia R, Raden a t i t l e RA, Raden Adipati a t i t l e EM, Raden Mas a t i t l e RT, Raden Tumenggung a t i t l e SI, Sarekat Islam Islamic Association TKR, Tentara Keamanan Rakyat People's Security Army TNI, Tentara Nasional Indonesian National Army In d o n e sia VOC, Vereenigde Oost Indische U nited E ast In d ia Company Compagnie 1 1 .