Kamaruzaman Sjam
Encyclopedia
Kamaruzaman Sjam, also known as Kamarusaman bin Achmad Mubaidah and Sjam, was a key member of the Communist Party of Indonesia
who was executed for his part in the 1965 coup attempt known as the 30 September Movement
.
, Sjam was born in Tuban
, East Java
in 1924. He was a descendant of Arab traders who settled on Java's north coast. He attended elementary school, high school and then an agronomy school in Surabaya
. The agronomy school was closed down when Japanese invaded the Dutch East Indies in 1942. Sjam abandoned his studies before graduating and went to Yogyakarta, where he attended business school. He was a member of the Pathuk group of youths resisting the Japanese around the Pathuk district of Yogyakarta. He participated in an attack on the main Japanese government office in Yogyakarta in September 1945 when his group lowered the Japanese flag and raised the red and white Indonesian flag
.
once a week. Sjam was a civil servant from 1947 to 1948, and was organizing trades unions from 1948 to 1950. Together with the other four group members, Sjam joined the Communist Party of Indonesia
PKI in 1949, then joined the military section of the PKI Organizational Department in the 1950s. He would have had a large number of contacts within the military who he had known in the Pathuk group.
However, although Sjam claimed in court that he joined the PKI in 1949, according to Mortimer he was listed (under the name of Kamarusaman) in the Suara Sosialis (Voice of Socialism) as a Socialist Party member undergoing intensive party training in Jakarta
. According to Roosa, Sjam could not have been a member of both the Communist and Socialist Parties at the same time in the 1950s.
and M. H. Lukman
"reappear" at Jakarta's Tanjung Priok port after they had pretended to go into exile following the Madiun Affair in 1948 when there was an abortive left wing coup attempt. Sjam helped the two men pass through immigration.
In 1964 or 1964, Sjam, was appointed head of the PKI Special Bureau. This comprised five men: Sjam himself, Pono (Supono Marsudidjojo), Sjam's assistant, Bono, Wandi and Hamim. The first three had the job of contacting military personnel to gather information. All the members of this group had daytime jobs to conceal their party membership and their true functions. The five men met once a month to exchange information, which Sjam would them pass on to Aidit, who would in turn give orders. Within the PKI, only Aidit and a few senior party members knew of the existence of the Special Bureau, and a number of measures were taken to ensure secrecy was maintained. To outsiders, Sjam, Pono and Bono appeared to be army spies.. The three men had official cards allowing them access to Army bases, and each maintained their own contracts. At his 1967 trial, Sjam said that efforts to recruit soldiers started with a friendly approach, then if no resistance was encountered, moved gradually on the Marxist theory, although the aim was to recruit informers rather than party members. In return, Sjam and his associates passed on information to the military about Islamist rebellions then underway in different parts of Indonesia. Given that many of the rebels were fierce anti-communists, this was in the PKI's interest
asked Sjam to use his contacts to find out if the rumors were true. Sjam concluded that they were, and informed Aidit.
On the night of September 30 1965, a group calling itself the 30 September Movement
kidnapped and later murdered six top Indonesian Army generals. The next morning, armed members of the group took control of the square in the center of Jakarta, and announced over Indonesian national radio that they had acted to foil a coup planned by group of Army generals.
By the late next morning, Sjam, along with President Sukarno
, Air Force commander Air Vice-Marshal Omar Dani and PKI leader D.N. Aidit
were all at the movement's headquarters at Halim Air Force Base on the outskirts of Jakarta. Roosa believes that rather than being Aidit's subordinate, Sjam was actually in charge of the movement. He had taken the lead after becoming convinced action was needed to forestall the military coup d'état, and had persuaded those officers loyal to him and the PKI to join the movement.
Having promised Aidit that the plan would work, Sjam was determined to continue with it, despite the flaws due to poor communication and planning. Even after the failure to kidnap Army chief-of-Staff Nasution
, the unplanned murders of the kidnapped generals and the failure to obtain Sukarno's blessing, Aidit and Sjam insisted on continuing. However, once it became apparent the movement in Jakarta had failed, Sjam and Aidit decided the PKI leader should fly to central Java to continue the struggle. Sjam was taken in to Jakarta, and eventually captured in March 1967
Communist Party of Indonesia
The Communist Party of Indonesia was the largest non-ruling communist party in the world prior to being crushed in 1965 and banned the following year.-Forerunners:...
who was executed for his part in the 1965 coup attempt known as 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
According to his courtroom testimony at his trial for involvement in 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...
, Sjam was born in Tuban
Tuban
Tuban is a town located on the north coast of Java, in Tuban Regency, approximately 100 km west of Surabaya, the capital of East Java. Tuban is surrounded by Lamongan in the east, Bojonegoro in the south and Rembang, Central Java in the west....
, East Java
East Java
East Java is a province of Indonesia. It is located on the eastern part of the island of Java and includes neighboring Madura and islands to its east and to its north East Java is a province of Indonesia. It is located on the eastern part of the island of Java and includes neighboring Madura and...
in 1924. He was a descendant of Arab traders who settled on Java's north coast. He attended elementary school, high school and then an agronomy school in Surabaya
Surabaya
Surabaya is Indonesia's second-largest city with a population of over 2.7 million , and the capital of the province of East Java...
. The agronomy school was closed down when Japanese invaded the Dutch East Indies in 1942. Sjam abandoned his studies before graduating and went to Yogyakarta, where he attended business school. He was a member of the Pathuk group of youths resisting the Japanese around the Pathuk district of Yogyakarta. He participated in an attack on the main Japanese government office in Yogyakarta in September 1945 when his group lowered the Japanese flag and raised the red and white Indonesian flag
Flag of Indonesia
The national flag of Indonesia, which is known as Sang Saka Merah-Putih or Bendera Merah-Putih or simply Merah-Putih in Indonesian, is based on the banner of the 13th century Majapahit Empire in East Java...
.
Early political career
In 1947 Socialist Party leaders sent five youths, including Sjam, to Jakarta to help republican officials smuggle supplies and money to Yogykarta, at the time the Indonesian capital. Upon arrival in Jakarta, Sjam contacted republican officials. Sjam worked in the Ministry of Information and lived on Jalan Guntur. He met with men who had been studying in Holland and studied studied Marxism-LeninismMarxism-Leninism
Marxism–Leninism is a communist ideology, officially based upon the theories of Marxism and Vladimir Lenin, that promotes the development and creation of a international communist society through the leadership of a vanguard party over a revolutionary socialist state that represents a dictatorship...
once a week. Sjam was a civil servant from 1947 to 1948, and was organizing trades unions from 1948 to 1950. Together with the other four group members, Sjam joined the Communist Party of Indonesia
Communist Party of Indonesia
The Communist Party of Indonesia was the largest non-ruling communist party in the world prior to being crushed in 1965 and banned the following year.-Forerunners:...
PKI in 1949, then joined the military section of the PKI Organizational Department in the 1950s. He would have had a large number of contacts within the military who he had known in the Pathuk group.
However, although Sjam claimed in court that he joined the PKI in 1949, according to Mortimer he was listed (under the name of Kamarusaman) in the Suara Sosialis (Voice of Socialism) as a Socialist Party member undergoing intensive party training in 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...
. According to Roosa, Sjam could not have been a member of both the Communist and Socialist Parties at the same time in the 1950s.
Rise within the PKI
Roosa claims that Sjam helped PKI leaders D.N. AiditDipa Nusantara Aidit
Dipa Nusantara Aidit was a senior leader of the Communist Party of Indonesia . Born Ahmad Aidit on Bangka Island, he was nicknamed "Amat". Aidit was educated in the Dutch colonial system...
and M. H. Lukman
M. H. Lukman
M.H. Lukman was the First Deputy Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Indonesia . He was executed following the 1965 crackdown on the PKI....
"reappear" at Jakarta's Tanjung Priok port after they had pretended to go into exile following the Madiun Affair in 1948 when there was an abortive left wing coup attempt. Sjam helped the two men pass through immigration.
In 1964 or 1964, Sjam, was appointed head of the PKI Special Bureau. This comprised five men: Sjam himself, Pono (Supono Marsudidjojo), Sjam's assistant, Bono, Wandi and Hamim. The first three had the job of contacting military personnel to gather information. All the members of this group had daytime jobs to conceal their party membership and their true functions. The five men met once a month to exchange information, which Sjam would them pass on to Aidit, who would in turn give orders. Within the PKI, only Aidit and a few senior party members knew of the existence of the Special Bureau, and a number of measures were taken to ensure secrecy was maintained. To outsiders, Sjam, Pono and Bono appeared to be army spies.. The three men had official cards allowing them access to Army bases, and each maintained their own contracts. At his 1967 trial, Sjam said that efforts to recruit soldiers started with a friendly approach, then if no resistance was encountered, moved gradually on the Marxist theory, although the aim was to recruit informers rather than party members. In return, Sjam and his associates passed on information to the military about Islamist rebellions then underway in different parts of Indonesia. Given that many of the rebels were fierce anti-communists, this was in the PKI's interest
Role in the 30 September Movement
According to Sjam's testimony at his trail, by mid-1965, the PKI's Special Bureau under Sjam had had considerable success infiltrating the military, and was in regular contact with hundreds of officers. The situation in Indonesia at the time was extremely tense, with rampant inflation and rumors of death lists being drawn up by communists and non-communists. In the run up to Armed Forces Day on October 5 1965, with large numbers of troops heading for the capital, many people were expecting a coup d'état.. PKI leader D.N. AiditDipa Nusantara Aidit
Dipa Nusantara Aidit was a senior leader of the Communist Party of Indonesia . Born Ahmad Aidit on Bangka Island, he was nicknamed "Amat". Aidit was educated in the Dutch colonial system...
asked Sjam to use his contacts to find out if the rumors were true. Sjam concluded that they were, and informed Aidit.
On the night of September 30 1965, a group calling itself 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...
kidnapped and later murdered six top Indonesian Army generals. The next morning, armed members of the group took control of the square in the center of Jakarta, and announced over Indonesian national radio that they had acted to foil a coup planned by group of Army generals.
By the late next morning, Sjam, along with President Sukarno
Sukarno
Sukarno, born Kusno Sosrodihardjo was the first President of Indonesia.Sukarno was the leader of his country's struggle for independence from the Netherlands and was Indonesia's first President from 1945 to 1967...
, Air Force commander Air Vice-Marshal Omar Dani and PKI leader D.N. Aidit
Dipa Nusantara Aidit
Dipa Nusantara Aidit was a senior leader of the Communist Party of Indonesia . Born Ahmad Aidit on Bangka Island, he was nicknamed "Amat". Aidit was educated in the Dutch colonial system...
were all at the movement's headquarters at Halim Air Force Base on the outskirts of Jakarta. Roosa believes that rather than being Aidit's subordinate, Sjam was actually in charge of the movement. He had taken the lead after becoming convinced action was needed to forestall the military coup d'état, and had persuaded those officers loyal to him and the PKI to join the movement.
Having promised Aidit that the plan would work, Sjam was determined to continue with it, despite the flaws due to poor communication and planning. Even after the failure to kidnap Army chief-of-Staff Nasution
Abdul Haris Nasution
In this Indonesian name, the name "Nasution" is a family name, and the person should be referred to by the family name "Nasution".Abdul Haris Nasution was an Indonesian general who was twice appointed Army Chief of Staff and who escaped an assassination attempt during the...
, the unplanned murders of the kidnapped generals and the failure to obtain Sukarno's blessing, Aidit and Sjam insisted on continuing. However, once it became apparent the movement in Jakarta had failed, Sjam and Aidit decided the PKI leader should fly to central Java to continue the struggle. Sjam was taken in to Jakarta, and eventually captured in March 1967
Testimony in Court and Execution
In court as a witness during the trials of other people accused or responsibility for the 30 September Movement, Sjam claimed he had been acting under the orders of Aidit. He was sentenced to death in 1968, but continued to appear as a witness in various trials, at which he continued to reveal further details to postpone his execution. He was finally executed in September 1986.General References
- Mortimer, Rex (1974). Indonesian Communism Under Sukarno: Ideology and Politics, 1959-1965 Cornell University Press, Ithaca, New York ISBN 0-8014-0825-3
- Roosa, John (2007) Pretext for Mass Murder: The September 30th Movement & Suharto's Coup D'État in Indonesia, University of Wisconsin Press. ISBN 978-9-299-22034-1
- Ricklefs, M.C. (1982) A History of Modern Indonesia", MacMillan. ISBN 0-333-24380-3
- Sekretariat Negara Republik Indonesia (1975) 30 Tahun Indonesia Merdeka: Jilid 3 (1965-1973) (30 Years of Indonesian Independence: Volume 3 (1965-1973))