Donald Izacus Panjaitan
Encyclopedia
Donald Izacus Panjaitan (9 June 1925 – 1 October 1965) was an Indonesia
n general who was killed during a kidnap attempt by members of the 30 September Movement
.
. After completing elementary and high school, with the arrival of the Invading Japanese
, he underwent Japanese Giyugun military education. He was then posted to Pekanbaru
, and was there when Indonesian independence
was declared on 17 August 1945.
, West Sumatra
. Not long after, he became fourth deputy commander (supplies) for the Sumatran Army Command, then when the Dutch
launched their second "police action" against the republic, he was put in charge of supplies for the Emergency Government of the Republic of Indonesia
.
After the Dutch recognition of Indonesian sovereignty in 1949, Panjaitan was posted to the headquarters of the Sumatran Division in Medan
, and on 2 January 1950 became head of the operational staff of the I/Bukit Barisan Division. He was then transferred to Palembang
, South Sumatra
and appointed deputy commander of the II/Sriwijaya Division. From October 1952 to July 1957, he served as the military attache to the Indonesian embassy in Bonn
, West Germany
. Upon his return to Indonesia, he joined the Army General Staff. He attended a course at the US Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth
from December 1963 to June 1964. He then took up his final post as fourth assistant to the Army chief of staff.
left Lubang Buaya
on the outskirts of Jakarta
. They forced the gates of Panjaitan's house on Jalan Hasanudin, Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta, shot and killed one of his servants sleeping on the ground floor of the two-story house and called for Panjaitan to come downstairs. After the attackers threatened his family, Panjaitan came down. He then tried to escape and was shot dead.. His body was put in a truck and taken back to the movement's headquarters at Lubang Buaya. Later, his body and those of his slain colleagues was hidden in a disused well. The bodies recovered on October 4, and all were given a state funeral the following day. Panjaitan was awareded a posthumous promotion to Major General and made a Hero of the Revolution.
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
n general who was killed during a kidnap attempt by members of the 30 September Movement
30 September Movement
The Thirtieth of September Movement ) was a self-proclaimed organization of Indonesian National Armed Forces members who, in the early hours of 1 October 1965, assassinated six Indonesian Army generals in an abortive coup d'état. Later that morning, the organization declared that it was in control...
.
Early life
D.I. Pandjaitan was born in Sitorang, Balige in the Tapanuli region of North SumatraNorth Sumatra
North Sumatra is a province of Indonesia on the Sumatra island. Its capital is Medan. It is the most populous Indonesian province outside of Java. It is slightly larger than Sri Lanka in area.- Geography and population :...
. After completing elementary and high school, with the arrival of the Invading Japanese
Japanese Occupation of Indonesia
The Japanese Empire occupied Indonesia, known then as the Dutch East Indies, during World War II from March 1942 until after the end of War in 1945...
, he underwent Japanese Giyugun military education. He was then posted to Pekanbaru
Pekanbaru
Pekanbaru is the capital of Riau, a province in Indonesia on the island of Sumatra. It has an area of 632.26 km² and a population of 903,902. Located on the Siak River, which drains to the Strait of Malacca...
, and was there when Indonesian independence
Indonesian Declaration of Independence
The Proclamation of Indonesian Independence was read at 10.00 a.m. on Friday, August 17, 1945. The declaration marked the start of the diplomatic and armed-resistance of the Indonesian National Revolution, fighting against the forces of the Netherlands until the latter officially acknowledged...
was declared on 17 August 1945.
Career with the Indonesian military
In November 1945, Pandjaitan, together with other youths, helped set up a local branch of the People's Security Army (TKR), initially serving as a battalion commander. In March 1948, he was appointed commander of the commander for organization and education of XI/Banteng Division at BukittinggiBukittinggi
Bukittinggi is one of the larger cities in West Sumatra, Indonesia, with a population of over 91,000 people and an area of 25.24 km². It is situated in the Minangkabau highlands, 90 km by road from the West Sumatran capital city of Padang. It is located at , near the volcanoes Mount...
, West Sumatra
West Sumatra
West Sumatra is a province of Indonesia. It lies on the west coast of the island Sumatra. It borders the provinces of North Sumatra to the north, Riau and Jambi to the east, and Bengkulu to the southeast. It includes the Mentawai Islands off the coast...
. Not long after, he became fourth deputy commander (supplies) for the Sumatran Army Command, then when the Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
launched their second "police action" against the republic, he was put in charge of supplies for the Emergency Government of the Republic of Indonesia
Emergency Government of the Republic of Indonesia
The Emergency Government of the Republic of Indonesia , was established by Indonesian Republicans after the Netherlands occupied Yogyakarta in Central Java the location of the temporary Republican capital...
.
After the Dutch recognition of Indonesian sovereignty in 1949, Panjaitan was posted to the headquarters of the Sumatran Division in Medan
Medan
- Demography :The city is Indonesia's fourth most populous after Jakarta, Surabaya, and Bandung, and Indonesia's largest city outside of Java island. Much of the population lies outside its city limits, especially in Deli Serdang....
, and on 2 January 1950 became head of the operational staff of the I/Bukit Barisan Division. He was then transferred to Palembang
Palembang
Palembang is the capital city of the South Sumatra province in Indonesia. Palembang is one of the oldest cities in Indonesia, and has a history of being a capital of a maritime empire. Located on the Musi River banks on the east coast of southern Sumatra island, it has an area of 400.61 square...
, South Sumatra
South Sumatra
South Sumatra is a province of Indonesia.-Geography:It is on the island of Sumatra, and borders the provinces of Lampung to the south, Bengkulu to the west, and Jambi to the north...
and appointed deputy commander of the II/Sriwijaya Division. From October 1952 to July 1957, he served as the military attache to the Indonesian embassy in Bonn
Bonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
, West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
. Upon his return to Indonesia, he joined the Army General Staff. He attended a course at the US Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth
Fort Leavenworth
Fort Leavenworth is a United States Army facility located in Leavenworth County, Kansas, immediately north of the city of Leavenworth in the upper northeast portion of the state. It is the oldest active United States Army post west of Washington, D.C. and has been in operation for over 180 years...
from December 1963 to June 1964. He then took up his final post as fourth assistant to the Army chief of staff.
Death
In the early hours of 1 October 1965, a group of members of the 30 September Movement30 September Movement
The Thirtieth of September Movement ) was a self-proclaimed organization of Indonesian National Armed Forces members who, in the early hours of 1 October 1965, assassinated six Indonesian Army generals in an abortive coup d'état. Later that morning, the organization declared that it was in control...
left Lubang Buaya
Lubang Buaya
Lubang Buaya is the site of the murder of seven army officers during the 1 October coup attempt of the 30 September Movement...
on the outskirts of Jakarta
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
. They forced the gates of Panjaitan's house on Jalan Hasanudin, Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta, shot and killed one of his servants sleeping on the ground floor of the two-story house and called for Panjaitan to come downstairs. After the attackers threatened his family, Panjaitan came down. He then tried to escape and was shot dead.. His body was put in a truck and taken back to the movement's headquarters at Lubang Buaya. Later, his body and those of his slain colleagues was hidden in a disused well. The bodies recovered on October 4, and all were given a state funeral the following day. Panjaitan was awareded a posthumous promotion to Major General and made a Hero of the Revolution.