Legion of Ratu Adil
Encyclopedia
The Legion of Ratu Adil, also known as Angkatan Perang Ratu Adil (APRA) or the Prince Justice Legion was a pro-Dutch
militia and private army established during the Indonesian National Revolution
. It was founded by the former KNIL captain Raymond Westerling
following his demobilization on January 15 1949. The army's name was derived from a passage from the medieval Book of Prophecies of Jojo Boyo which prophesied the coming of a Ratu Adil or Prince Justice who would be of Turkish
descent. Due to his mixed Turkish heritage, Westerling viewed himself as that prophesied Prince Justice who would deliver the Indonesian people from "tyranny".
Westerling sought to preserve the component states of the federal
Republic of the United States of Indonesia
against what he perceived as the Javanese-dominated unitary
Republic of Indonesia led by Sukarno
and Hatta
. APRA was recruited from 18 diverse anti-Republican factions including former Republican guerillas, Darul Islam
, Ambonese
, Malays, Minahasa
, demobilized KNIL, Regiment Special Forces and Royal Netherlands Army
personnel. By 1950, APRA had evolved from a series of rural self-defense units into a 2,000-strong fighting force. Unhappy with the growing influence of Sukarno's government, Westerling conspired with the federalist Sultan of Pontianak
Hamid II
to launch a coup in January 1950.
On 23 January 1950, APRA launched a coup d’état
against the Republican government. While the Legion managed to temporarily occupy Bandung
, they failed to occupy Jakarta and Blora . They had planned to overthrow the RUSI Cabinet
and assassinate several prominent Republican figures including the Defense Minister Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX and Secretary-General Ali Budiardjo. The coup's failure demoralized the Legion's belief in Westerling and he was forced to flee to Singapore. Without a strong leader, APRA had ceased to function by February 1950. APRA'S actions led to the incarceration of Hamid II and accelerated the dissolution of the federal United States of Indonesia on 17 August 1950, turning Indonesia into a unitary state dominated by the central government in Jakarta.
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...
militia and private army established during the Indonesian National Revolution
Indonesian National Revolution
The Indonesian National Revolution or Indonesian War of Independence was an armed conflict and diplomatic struggle between Indonesia and the Dutch Empire, and an internal social revolution...
. It was founded by the former KNIL captain Raymond Westerling
Raymond Westerling
Raymond Pierre Paul Westerling , nicknamed the Turk, was a Dutch military officer. He waged a bloody occupation campaign in Sulawesi during the Indonesian National Revolution after the Second World War, and staged a coup d'état in Bandung and Jakarta in January 1950.-South Sulawesi:Westerling...
following his demobilization on January 15 1949. The army's name was derived from a passage from the medieval Book of Prophecies of Jojo Boyo which prophesied the coming of a Ratu Adil or Prince Justice who would be of Turkish
Turkish people
Turkish people, also known as the "Turks" , are an ethnic group primarily living in Turkey and in the former lands of the Ottoman Empire where Turkish minorities had been established in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Romania...
descent. Due to his mixed Turkish heritage, Westerling viewed himself as that prophesied Prince Justice who would deliver the Indonesian people from "tyranny".
Westerling sought to preserve the component states of the federal
Federal
Federal or foederal may refer to:In politics:*Federal monarchy, a federation of monarchies or a federal organised monarchy*Federal district, a subdivision in a federal state that is under the direct control of a federal government...
Republic of the United States of Indonesia
Republic of the United States of Indonesia
The Republic of the United States of Indonesia , also abbreviated as RUSI, was a federal state to which the Netherlands formally transferred sovereignty of the Dutch East Indies on 27 December 1949 following the Dutch-Indonesian Round Table Conference...
against what he perceived as the Javanese-dominated unitary
Unitary state
A unitary state is a state governed as one single unit in which the central government is supreme and any administrative divisions exercise only powers that their central government chooses to delegate...
Republic of Indonesia led by 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...
and Hatta
Hatta
Hatta may refer to:* Hatta, Gaza, an Arab village in Palestine depopulated in 1948* Hatta, Madhya Pradesh, a village in Damoh District, Madhya Pradesh, India* the Hatta number, a dimensionless parameter in chemical reaction engineering...
. APRA was recruited from 18 diverse anti-Republican factions including former Republican guerillas, Darul Islam
Darul Islam
Darul Islam is an Islamist group in Indonesia that aims for the establishment of an Islamic state of Indonesia. It was started in 1942 by a group of Muslim militias, coordinated by a charismatic radical Muslim politician, Sekarmadji Maridjan Kartosuwirjo. The group recognised only Shari'a as a...
, Ambonese
Ambonese
The Ambonese, also known as South Moluccans, are an Indonesian ethnic group of mixed Malay-Papuan origin. They are mostly Christians or Muslims. Ambonese are from Ambon Island in Maluku, an island group east of Sulawesi and north of Timor in Indonesia. The predominant language of the island is...
, Malays, Minahasa
Minahasa
The Minahasa are an ethnic group located in the North Sulawesi province of Indonesia, formerly known as North Celebes...
, demobilized KNIL, Regiment Special Forces and Royal Netherlands Army
Royal Netherlands Army
The Royal Netherlands Army is the land forces element of the military of the Netherlands.-Short history:The Royal Netherlands Army was raised on 9 January 1814, but its origins date back to 1572, when the so-called Staatse Leger was raised...
personnel. By 1950, APRA had evolved from a series of rural self-defense units into a 2,000-strong fighting force. Unhappy with the growing influence of Sukarno's government, Westerling conspired with the federalist Sultan of Pontianak
Pontianak Sultanate
Pontianak Sultanate or Kesultanan Pontianak is a monarchy in the province of Pontianak, Indonesia.-History:Pontianak Sultanate was founded in 1771 by explorers from Hadhramaut led by al-Sayyid Syarif Abdurrahman al-Kadrie, descendants of Imam Ali ar-Ridha...
Hamid II
Sultan Hamid II
Sultan Hamid II, born Syarif Abdul Hamid Alkadrie was the last Sultan of Pontianak and the only President of the State of West Kalimantan from 1946 to its disestablishment in 1950. He was the eldest son of Sultan Syarif Muhammad Alkadrie...
to launch a coup in January 1950.
On 23 January 1950, APRA launched a coup d’état
APRA Coup d'état
The APRA Coup d'état was a coup d'état by Raymond Westerling's Legion of Ratu Adil to capture Bandung and Jakarta, and to overthrow Sukarno’s unitary Republic of Indonesia. Westerling sought to preserve the federal Republic of the United States of Indonesia, which retained the support of the...
against the Republican government. While the Legion managed to temporarily occupy Bandung
Bandung
Bandung is the capital of West Java province in Indonesia, and the country's third largest city, and 2nd largest metropolitan area in Indonesia, with a population of 7.4 million in 2007. Located 768 metres above sea level, approximately 140 km southeast of Jakarta, Bandung has cooler...
, they failed to occupy Jakarta and Blora . They had planned to overthrow the RUSI Cabinet
Republic of the United States of Indonesia Cabinet
The Republic of the United States of Indonesia Cabinet was established as a result of the formation of the United States of Indonesia following the transfer of sovereignty from the Dutch colonial power...
and assassinate several prominent Republican figures including the Defense Minister Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX and Secretary-General Ali Budiardjo. The coup's failure demoralized the Legion's belief in Westerling and he was forced to flee to Singapore. Without a strong leader, APRA had ceased to function by February 1950. APRA'S actions led to the incarceration of Hamid II and accelerated the dissolution of the federal United States of Indonesia on 17 August 1950, turning Indonesia into a unitary state dominated by the central government in Jakarta.