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THE PORTUGUESE IN INDONESIA
The Portuguese, in search of Indonesian spices, entered Indonesia after conquering the Islam Kingdom of Malacca on the Malay Peninsula, which was followed by the Spaniards. Both started their first attempt to propagate Christianity in Indonesia. Their position was strongly felt then in Maluku.
THE BEGINNING OF DUTCH COLONIALISM
In the meantime, the Dutch started their ventures to seek spices in Indonesia, which they sold in European markets with big profits. To make their trade more efficient and organized, the Dutch established the Dutch East India Company (VOC) with the aim to exploit the Spice Islands in the Indonesian archipelago for European markets (1602). As VOC's merchant fleets were often not free from pirate attacks, therefore, their sailing to the East were later on accompanied by Dutch warships in convoy. After Dutch VOC was nationalized by the then Dutch Government (1799), the exploitation of Indonesian commodities for Europe developed into Dutch suzerainty over Indonesian territories where the people on such territories were levied by force to make agricultural tributes to the Dutch. In 1605, Dutch colonialism began to have a foothold in Indonesia. The capital of Sunda Kelapa was named "Batavia" by the Dutch.
Meanwhile, the former Hindu Kingdom of Mataram in Central Java became the Islam Kingdom of Mataram and was ruled by the Islam Sultan Agung Hanyokrokusumo. Sultan Agung did not only develop the political power of the state but was also a great patron of arts and culture. He introduced the Islamic Javanese calendar in 1633. Sultan Agung was also the greatest enemy of the Dutch, who in 1629 sent his troops to Batavia to attack the Dutch bulwark but were repulsed by the troops of the then Dutch Governor General, Jan Pieters Zoon Coen. After Dutch seizure of Ambon in Maluku in 1605 and Banda Island in 1623, the Dutch gained all the spice islands trade monopoly. Merciless, Dutch policy of exploitation through "divide and rule" tactics were introduced. Indonesia's inter insular trade, such as between Makassar, Aceh, Mataram and Banten, as well as foreign trade was gradually crippled by the Dutch ruthless policies and which had forced Indonesia to merely become an agricultural country growing crops suitable to be sold to European markets.
The Dutch meanwhile pursued a so-called open door policy for Chinese to become their middlemen in their trade with Indonesia.
Wars against the Dutch
Grave of Dutch Major General J.H.R. Kohler who was killed during the Aceh War |
Sultan Hasanuddin of Goa waged a war against the Dutch in 1666, but was defeated by the Dutch who made Goa a vassal state of the VOC under the Treaty of Bunggaya signed in 1667. Prince Trunojoyo of the Kingdom of Madura, who waged a war against the Dutch was defeated and killed by the Dutch in 1680. To control spice monopolies in the Maluku, the Dutch carried out their notorious "Hongi Expedition" by burning clove trees of Indonesians which they regard as being "superfluous" causing the drop of its prices in European markets. These outrageous expeditions aimed at destroying crops were seldom not accompanied with cruelties, particularly conducted against those who opposed the destruction.
In 1740, the Dutch suppressed a rebellion in Jakarta sparked by dissatisfied Chinese. These rebellious Chinese were later joined by Indonesians. Ten thousand Chinese were massacred by the Dutch.
The Kingdom of Mataram, which deteriorated in strength, was divided by the VOC into the Principalities of Yogyakarta and Surakarta. Mismanagement and corruption forced the VOC into bankcruptcy and on December 31, 1799 all its territories in Indonesia were taken over by the Dutch Batavian Republic.
BRITISH TEMPORARELY RULE
In 1714, the British came to Indonesia and built their "Fort York" fortress in Bengkulu on the west coast of Sumatra, which was later renamed "Fort Marlborough." The British stayed in Bengkulu till 1825.
During the Napoleonic wars in Europe, when Holland was occupied by France, Indonesia fell under the rule of the British East India Company (1811-1816). Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles became Lieutenant-Governor-General of Java and dependencies subordinated to the Governor General in Bengal in India. Raffles introduced partial self-government and the slave trade was prohibited. In those days, slaves were held and traded by foreigners. Raffles introduced the "land-rent system" replacing the Dutch hated system of "contingent land use" and "compulsory deliveries of crops." The Buddhist monument of Borobudur and other Hindu temples were restored and research carried out. Raffles wrote his famous books entitled "The History of Java" in which he described Java's high civilization and culture.
Since the British stayed in Sumatra from 1814 till 1825, William Marsden wrote a similar book on the history of Sumatra, which was published in 1889. After the end of French occupation of Holland, the British and Dutch signed a convention in London on August 13, 1814, in which it was agreed that Dutch colonial possessions existing since 1803 should be returned and consequently the Batavian Republic reclaimed the Indonesian archipelago from the British in 1815, after the downfall of Napoleon.
DUTCH RETURN TO INDONESIA
Soon afterwards, the Dutch intensified their colonial rule in Indonesia but was responded by wide-spread Indonesian revolts to regain their independence but were suppressed by the Dutch one after the other. To mention some of those revolts: Thomas Matulessy alias Pattimura staged a revolt against the Dutch in Maluku (1816-1818). Prince Diponegoro of Mataram led the Java war against the Dutch from 1825 till 1830, which was a fierce struggle for independence. Tuanku Imam Bonjol led the "Padri" war against the Dutch in West Sumatra. Teuku Umar led the Aceh war in North Sumatra (1873-1903). Sisingamangaraja, King of the Batak led the war against the Dutch in 1907.
In 1908 the Dutch attempted to occupy Bali but were fiercely repelled by Raja Udayana who led the Bali war against the Dutch. Revolts were also launched in Goa in South Sulawesi and also in South Kalimantan.
Second Youth Congress held on 27-28 October 1928
in Jakarta
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