Renville Agreement
Encyclopedia
The Renville Agreement was a United Nations Security Council brokered political accord between the Netherlands
who were seeking to re-establish their colony in South East Asia
, and Indonesian Republicans seeking to secure Indonesian independence during the Indonesian National Revolution
. Ratified on January 17, 1948, the agreement was an unsuccessful attempt to resolve the disputes that arose following the 1946 Linggadjati Agreement
. It recognised a cease-fire along the so-called 'Van Mook Line
'; an artificial line which connected up the most advanced Dutch positions.
The agreement is named after USS Renville
, the ship on which the negotiations were held while anchored in Jakarta
Bay.
calling for a ceasefire between the Dutch and Indonesian Republican forces was passed. Dutch Lt. Governor-General Van Mook
gave the ceasefire order on 5 August.
On 25 August, the Security Council passed a resolution proposed by the United States
that the Security Council tender its good offices to help resolve the Dutch-Indonesian dispute peacefully. This assistance would take the form of a Committee of Good Offices (CGO) made up of three representatives, one appointed by the Netherlands, one by Indonesia and a third, mutually agreed by both sides. The Dutch chose a representative from Belgium
, Indonesia chose one from Australia
and both agreed on the US for the third member.
A few days later, on 29 August 1947 the Dutch proclaimed the Van Mook Line, claiming it marked the extent the areas they held as of the ceasefire. However the Dutch included areas of Indonesia the Dutch had not reentered. The republic was left with about a third of Java and most of the island of Sumatra
, but the republican forces were cut off from the main food growing regions. A Dutch blockade then stopped arms, food and clothing reaching the republicans.
The republican delegation was led by Amir Sjarifuddin
, with Johannes Leimena
as his deputy. On the Dutch side, the delegation was led by Jhr. Van Vredenburg, with Col. Abdulkadir Widjojoatmodjo as his deputy.
On 26 December as negotiations stalled, the CGO issued a "Christmas Message", a proposal calling for a truce with the Van Mook line as military boundary. However, Dutch forces withdrew to positions held before the July 1947 military action
and the republicans would take over civilian administration upon returning to those areas. The Indonesian side accepted the proposal in its entirely, but the Dutch gave only partial agreement and put forward 12 counter proposals. Among these was a demand for free elections for people to decide their relationship with the future United States of Indonesia and for both sides to guarantee freedom of assembly and speech. The Dutch not accept troop withdrawals or Indonesian civilian administration in those areas returned to their control. The Dutch also opposed any international observation of the agreement.
and said there must be a quick resolution and that it would be "most regrettable if this last appeal, this last appeal, were not understood". Ten days later, Van Mook announced the establishment of state of East Sumatra, thus indicating that the Dutch were going ahead with the establishment of a federal state. Then on 4 January 1948, the Dutch organized a conference of representatives they had selected from 10 regions of Indonesia. These representatives agreed to form an interim federal government pending the establishment of the United States of Indonesia. The Republic of Indonesia was invited to join as minority partner.
On 9 January, the Dutch delegation said that if the Indonesian side did not accept its proposals within three days, it would ask its government for further instructions. The CGO put forward six principles to counter the 12 from the Dutch. Among their provisions were that Dutch sovereignty would continue until transferred to the United States of Indonesia, or which the Republic of Indonesia; fair representation for each component of the provisional federal state in its government; a referendum within six months to ask people if they wanted their region to the Republic of Indonesia or the United States of Indonesia and a constitutional convention to draw up constitution. Furthermore, any state would be free to not join RIS.
The Dutch side said it would accept these proposals if the Republicans accepted them and its original 12 proposals by the 12 January deadline. After a 48-hour extension to the deadline and discussions to clarify the Dutch proposals, Dr Frank Graham, the US member of the CGO convinced the Republicans to accept, saying they could rely on the US using its influence to ensure the Dutch kept to their side of the bargain. The Indonesian side also felt that referendums in the regions would result in victory for the pro-Republicans and that they would be able to dominate the federal government. Graham also told Amir Sjarifuddin that the US would provide aid to help rebuild a free Indonesia.
Initially President Sukarno and Vice-president Hatta opposed the agreement, but after hearing reports of shortages of ammunition and worried that Dutch would attack again if the agreement not signed, they agreed. They were also reluctant to accept responsibility for substantial civilian and military casualties if the fighting continued. After the Dutch and republican sides agreed on a truce along the Van Mook Line
and the proposals put forward by the CGO and the Dutch, the agreement was signed on the foredeck of the USS Renville on 17 January 1948
), a body comprising the leadership of the federal states, and charged with the formation of a United States of Indonesia and an interim government by the end of 1948. The Dutch plans, however, had no place for the Republic unless it accepted a minor role already defined for it. Later plans included Java and Sumatra but dropped all mention of the Republic. The main sticking point in the negotiations was the balance of power between the Netherlands High Representative and the Republican forces.
Mutual distrust between the Netherlands and the Republic hindered negotiations. The Republic feared a second major Dutch offensive, while the Dutch objected to continued Republican activity on the Dutch side of the Renville line. In February 1948 the Siliwangi Battalion of the Republican Army, led by Nasution, marched from West Java to Central Java; the relocation was intended to ease internal Republican tensions involving the Battalion in the Surakarta area. The Battalion, however, clashed with Dutch troops while crossing Mount Slamet
, and the Dutch believed it was part of a systematic troop movement across the Renville Line. The fear of such incursions actually succeeding, along with apparent Republican undermining of the Dutch-established Pasudan state and negative reports, lead to the Dutch leadership increasingly seeing itself as losing control.
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...
who were seeking to re-establish their colony in South East Asia
Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies was a Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II. It was formed from the nationalised colonies of the Dutch East India Company, which came under the administration of the Netherlands government in 1800....
, and Indonesian Republicans seeking to secure Indonesian independence 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...
. Ratified on January 17, 1948, the agreement was an unsuccessful attempt to resolve the disputes that arose following the 1946 Linggadjati Agreement
Linggadjati Agreement
The Linggadjati Agreement, also known as the Cheribon Agreement, was a political accord concluded on 15 November 1946 by the Dutch administration and the unilaterally declared Republic of Indonesia. Negotiations took place 11–12 November...
. It recognised a cease-fire along the so-called 'Van Mook Line
Van Mook Line
The Van Mook Line, also known as the Status Quo Line, named after Hubertus van Mook was an artificial boundary which separated Dutch and the Republic of Indonesia on Java during the Indonesian National Revolution...
'; an artificial line which connected up the most advanced Dutch positions.
The agreement is named after USS Renville
USS Renville (APA-227)
USS Renville was a that saw service with the US Navy in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War.Renville was named after counties in Minnesota and North Dakota. She was laid down 19 August 1944 as MCV hull 673 by Kaiser Shipbuilding of Vancouver, Washington, launched 25 October 1944, ...
, the ship on which the negotiations were held while anchored 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...
Bay.
Background
On 1 August 1947 an Australian resolution in the United Nations Security CouncilUnited Nations Security Council
The United Nations Security Council is one of the principal organs of the United Nations and is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security. Its powers, outlined in the United Nations Charter, include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of...
calling for a ceasefire between the Dutch and Indonesian Republican forces was passed. Dutch Lt. Governor-General Van Mook
Hubertus Johannes van Mook
Hubertus Johannes van Mook was a Dutch administrator in the East Indies. During the Indonesian National Revolution, he served as the Acting Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies from 1942 to 1948. van Mook also had a son named Cornelius van Mook who studied marine engineering at the...
gave the ceasefire order on 5 August.
On 25 August, the Security Council passed a resolution proposed by the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
that the Security Council tender its good offices to help resolve the Dutch-Indonesian dispute peacefully. This assistance would take the form of a Committee of Good Offices (CGO) made up of three representatives, one appointed by the Netherlands, one by Indonesia and a third, mutually agreed by both sides. The Dutch chose a representative from Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, Indonesia chose one from Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and both agreed on the US for the third member.
A few days later, on 29 August 1947 the Dutch proclaimed the Van Mook Line, claiming it marked the extent the areas they held as of the ceasefire. However the Dutch included areas of Indonesia the Dutch had not reentered. The republic was left with about a third of Java and most of the island of Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
, but the republican forces were cut off from the main food growing regions. A Dutch blockade then stopped arms, food and clothing reaching the republicans.
The negotiations begin
After protracted discussions, all sides agreed to hold the talks at a neutral venue. The United States made available the troopship USS Renville, which was anchored in Jakarta Bay, and the first formal session of the CGO began on 8 December 1947.The republican delegation was led by Amir Sjarifuddin
Amir Sjarifuddin
Amir Sjarifuddin Harahap, also spelled Amir Sjarifoeddin Harahap was a socialist politician and one of the Indonesian Republic's first leaders, becoming Prime Minister during the country's National Revolution. A Christian convert from a Muslim Batak family, Amir was a major leader of the Left...
, with Johannes Leimena
Johannes Leimena
Dr. Johannes Leimena was Deputy Prime Minister of Indonesia from 1957 - 1966 and served as Minister of Health under President Sukarno from 1946 - 1956. A Christian, he founded the Indonesian Christian Party in 1950...
as his deputy. On the Dutch side, the delegation was led by Jhr. Van Vredenburg, with Col. Abdulkadir Widjojoatmodjo as his deputy.
On 26 December as negotiations stalled, the CGO issued a "Christmas Message", a proposal calling for a truce with the Van Mook line as military boundary. However, Dutch forces withdrew to positions held before the July 1947 military action
Operatie Product
Operatie Product, was the first of two major Dutch military offensives against the Republic of Indonesia during the Indonesian National Revolution. It took place following Dutch assertions that Indonesia cooperated insufficiently in the implementation of the Linggadjati Agreement, which had been...
and the republicans would take over civilian administration upon returning to those areas. The Indonesian side accepted the proposal in its entirely, but the Dutch gave only partial agreement and put forward 12 counter proposals. Among these was a demand for free elections for people to decide their relationship with the future United States of Indonesia and for both sides to guarantee freedom of assembly and speech. The Dutch not accept troop withdrawals or Indonesian civilian administration in those areas returned to their control. The Dutch also opposed any international observation of the agreement.
Pressure from the Dutch outside the talks
On 19 December, the Dutch prime minister visited MedanMedan
- 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 said there must be a quick resolution and that it would be "most regrettable if this last appeal, this last appeal, were not understood". Ten days later, Van Mook announced the establishment of state of East Sumatra, thus indicating that the Dutch were going ahead with the establishment of a federal state. Then on 4 January 1948, the Dutch organized a conference of representatives they had selected from 10 regions of Indonesia. These representatives agreed to form an interim federal government pending the establishment of the United States of Indonesia. The Republic of Indonesia was invited to join as minority partner.
Agreement
The Dutch side said it would accept these proposals if the Republicans accepted them and its original 12 proposals by the 12 January deadline. After a 48-hour extension to the deadline and discussions to clarify the Dutch proposals, Dr Frank Graham, the US member of the CGO convinced the Republicans to accept, saying they could rely on the US using its influence to ensure the Dutch kept to their side of the bargain. The Indonesian side also felt that referendums in the regions would result in victory for the pro-Republicans and that they would be able to dominate the federal government. Graham also told Amir Sjarifuddin that the US would provide aid to help rebuild a free Indonesia.
Van Mook Line
The Van Mook Line, also known as the Status Quo Line, named after Hubertus van Mook was an artificial boundary which separated Dutch and the Republic of Indonesia on Java during the Indonesian National Revolution...
and the proposals put forward by the CGO and the Dutch, the agreement was signed on the foredeck of the USS Renville on 17 January 1948
Consequences
Diplomatic efforts between the Netherlands and the Republic continued throughout 1948 and 1949. Political pressures, both domestic and international, hindered Dutch attempts at goal formulation. Similarly Republican leaders faced great difficulty in persuading their people to accept diplomatic concessions. By July 1948 negotiations were in deadlock and the Netherlands pushed unilaterally towards Van Mook’s federal Indonesia concept . The new federal states of South Sumatra and East Java were created, although neither had a viable support base. The Netherlands set up the Bijeenkomst voor Federaal Overleg (BFO) (or Federal Consultative AssemblyFederal Consultative Assembly
The Federal Consultative Assembly, or Bijeenkomst voor Federaal Overleg was a committee established by the Netherlands to administer the Republic of the United States of Indonesia during the Indonesian National Revolution . It consisted of the leaders of the 15 federal states and special...
), a body comprising the leadership of the federal states, and charged with the formation of a United States of Indonesia and an interim government by the end of 1948. The Dutch plans, however, had no place for the Republic unless it accepted a minor role already defined for it. Later plans included Java and Sumatra but dropped all mention of the Republic. The main sticking point in the negotiations was the balance of power between the Netherlands High Representative and the Republican forces.
Mutual distrust between the Netherlands and the Republic hindered negotiations. The Republic feared a second major Dutch offensive, while the Dutch objected to continued Republican activity on the Dutch side of the Renville line. In February 1948 the Siliwangi Battalion of the Republican Army, led by Nasution, marched from West Java to Central Java; the relocation was intended to ease internal Republican tensions involving the Battalion in the Surakarta area. The Battalion, however, clashed with Dutch troops while crossing Mount Slamet
Mount Slamet
Mount Slamet or Gunung Slamet is an active stratovolcano in Central Java, Indonesia. It has a cluster of around three dozens of cinder cones on the lower southeast-northeast flanks and a single cinder cone on the western flank. The volcano is composed by two overlapping edifices. Four craters are...
, and the Dutch believed it was part of a systematic troop movement across the Renville Line. The fear of such incursions actually succeeding, along with apparent Republican undermining of the Dutch-established Pasudan state and negative reports, lead to the Dutch leadership increasingly seeing itself as losing control.
External references
- http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9063217?query=Renville%20Agreement&ct=
- Text and Background on the Renville Agreement