Sekarmadji Maridjan Kartosuwirjo
Encyclopedia
Sekarmadji Maridjan Kartosuwirjo (January 7, 1905 - September 5, 1962) was an Indonesia
n Islam
ic mystic who led the Darul Islam rebellion against the Indonesian government from 1949 to 1962, with the objective of overthrowing the secular Pancasila
ideology and establishing Negara Islam Indonesia (Islamic State
of Indonesia) based on sharia
law.
, son of minor government official. His education was mostly in secular and Dutch
-medium schools. While attending NIAS (Nederlands-Indische Artsen School/ Netherlands Indies Medical College) in Surabaya
, Kartosuwirjo boarded at the house of Islamist leader Tjokroaminoto
and became actively involved in Tjokrominoto's PSII (Partai Sarekat Islam Indonesia/ Indonesian Islamic Union Party
). Kartosuwirjo abandoned his medical studies to be fully immersed in politics.
While touring Malangbong, near Garut
in West Java
, Kartosuwirjo met and married daughter of a local PSII leader. He settled down in this area, where he established a madrasa. In 1937, he resigned from PSII to establish his own political movement advocating a future Islamic State of Indonesia based on Islamic law.
(1942–1945), Kartosuwirjo established armed militias in Garut
area, one of many such groups supported and armed by the Japanese in order to help them resist any future Allied invasion. During the Indonesian National Revolution
, his Darul Islam militia remained in amicable terms with the secular Republican forces until the latter withdrew from West Java
according to the terms of Renville Agreement
in 1948, while Kartosuwirjo continued the guerilla struggle against occupying Dutch
forces. After the second Dutch offensive (Operatie Kraai
) on December 1948, Republican guerillas slipping back into West Java was attacked by Kartosuwirjo's militia, resulting in a triangular war between the Republican forces, the Darul Islam, and the Dutch army.
On August 7, 1949, he declared establishment of Negara Islam Indonesia (Indonesian Islamic State) with himself as Imam
. After the transfer of sovereignty from the Dutch
, Kartosuwirjo refused to acknowledge returning Republican authority and continue attacking returning Republican forces, eventually culminating to a full-blown insurgency
.
During the 1950s, weak central government and uncoordinated military response from the government allowed Darul Islam to flourish, controlling one-third of West Java
and even launching raids as far as the outskirts of Jakarta
. Islamic rebels in South Sulawesi
and Aceh
joined the Darul Islam and acknowledged Kartosuwirjo as their highest authority through in practice there was little coordination between the rebels in the different provinces. In 1957, agents sent by Kartosuwirjo unsuccessfully attempted to assassinate Sukarno
by grenade attack during a primary school function at Cikini, Central Jakarta
.
in 1959 proved to be a turning point for Darul Islam's fortunes. The military introduced effective "fence of legs" method to encircle the guerillas' mountain bases and cutting off their supply and escape route, forcing the rebels to surrender or face annihilation in face of superior firepower. Kartosuwirjo responded by declaring "total war" in 1961, in which Darul Islam guerillas increasingly used terror tactics and banditry against civilians, further alienating the population. He also sent agents to Jakarta
, where on May 1962 they made another unsuccessful assassination attempt on Sukarno
during the Eid al-Adha prayers.
On June 1962, Kartosuwirjo was eventually captured in his hideout at Mount Geber near Garut
. In captivity, he issued order for his followers to surrender. The last Darul Islam band in West Java, operating at Mount Ciremai, surrendered on August 1962. Kartosuwirjo was brought to Jakarta
, where he was tried by military court-martial. He was found guilty of rebellion and attempted assassination of the president, and was sentenced to death. He was executed by firing squad on September 5, 1962.
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 Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic mystic who led the Darul Islam rebellion against the Indonesian government from 1949 to 1962, with the objective of overthrowing the secular Pancasila
Pancasila
The Five Precepts constitute the basic Buddhist code of ethics, undertaken by lay followers of the Buddha Gautama in the Theravada as well as in Mahayana traditions. The precepts in both traditions are essentially identical and are commitments to abstain from harming living beings, stealing,...
ideology and establishing Negara Islam Indonesia (Islamic State
Islamic State
An Islamic state is a type of government, in which the primary basis for government is Islamic religious law...
of Indonesia) based on sharia
Sharia
Sharia law, is the moral code and religious law of Islam. Sharia is derived from two primary sources of Islamic law: the precepts set forth in the Quran, and the example set by the Islamic prophet Muhammad in the Sunnah. Fiqh jurisprudence interprets and extends the application of sharia to...
law.
Early life
Kartosuwirjo was born in Cepu, an oil-producing town in Central JavaCentral Java
Central Java is a province of Indonesia. The administrative capital is Semarang. It is one of six provinces on the island of Java.This province is the province of high Human Development in Indonesia and its Points Development Index countries is equivalent to Lebanon. The province of Central Java...
, son of minor government official. His education was mostly in secular and 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...
-medium schools. While attending NIAS (Nederlands-Indische Artsen School/ Netherlands Indies Medical College) 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...
, Kartosuwirjo boarded at the house of Islamist leader Tjokroaminoto
Tjokroaminoto
Hadji Oemar Said Tjokroaminoto was a nationalist, the first leader of Sarekat Dagang Islam in Indonesia.-Early life:...
and became actively involved in Tjokrominoto's PSII (Partai Sarekat Islam Indonesia/ Indonesian Islamic Union Party
Indonesian Islamic Union Party
Islamic Association Party of Indonesia was an Islamic political party in Indonesia. In 1973 it was merged into the United Development Party.-Origins:The Sarekat Islam was a pre-war political organization in the then-Dutch East Indies...
). Kartosuwirjo abandoned his medical studies to be fully immersed in politics.
While touring Malangbong, near Garut
Garut
Garut is a town in the West Java province of Indonesia and is the capital of the Garut Regency. It is located about 75 km to the southeast of the major city of Bandung.-History:...
in West Java
West Java
West Java , with a population of over 43 million, is the most populous and most densely populated province of Indonesia. Located on the island of Java, it is slightly smaller in area than densely populated Taiwan, but with nearly double the population...
, Kartosuwirjo met and married daughter of a local PSII leader. He settled down in this area, where he established a madrasa. In 1937, he resigned from PSII to establish his own political movement advocating a future Islamic State of Indonesia based on Islamic law.
Leading the Darul Islam
During the Japanese occupation of IndonesiaJapanese 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...
(1942–1945), Kartosuwirjo established armed militias in Garut
Garut
Garut is a town in the West Java province of Indonesia and is the capital of the Garut Regency. It is located about 75 km to the southeast of the major city of Bandung.-History:...
area, one of many such groups supported and armed by the Japanese in order to help them resist any future Allied invasion. 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...
, his Darul Islam militia remained in amicable terms with the secular Republican forces until the latter withdrew from West Java
West Java
West Java , with a population of over 43 million, is the most populous and most densely populated province of Indonesia. Located on the island of Java, it is slightly smaller in area than densely populated Taiwan, but with nearly double the population...
according to the terms of Renville Agreement
Renville Agreement
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...
in 1948, while Kartosuwirjo continued the guerilla struggle against occupying 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...
forces. After the second Dutch offensive (Operatie Kraai
Operatie Kraai
Operatie Kraai was the code name for a Dutch military offensive against the newly formed Republic of Indonesia in December 1948 - January 1949...
) on December 1948, Republican guerillas slipping back into West Java was attacked by Kartosuwirjo's militia, resulting in a triangular war between the Republican forces, the Darul Islam, and the Dutch army.
On August 7, 1949, he declared establishment of Negara Islam Indonesia (Indonesian Islamic State) with himself as Imam
Imam
An imam is an Islamic leadership position, often the worship leader of a mosque and the Muslim community. Similar to spiritual leaders, the imam is the one who leads Islamic worship services. More often, the community turns to the mosque imam if they have a religious question...
. After the transfer of sovereignty from 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...
, Kartosuwirjo refused to acknowledge returning Republican authority and continue attacking returning Republican forces, eventually culminating to a full-blown insurgency
Insurgency
An insurgency is an armed rebellion against a constituted authority when those taking part in the rebellion are not recognized as belligerents...
.
During the 1950s, weak central government and uncoordinated military response from the government allowed Darul Islam to flourish, controlling one-third of West Java
West Java
West Java , with a population of over 43 million, is the most populous and most densely populated province of Indonesia. Located on the island of Java, it is slightly smaller in area than densely populated Taiwan, but with nearly double the population...
and even launching raids as far as 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...
. Islamic rebels in South Sulawesi
South Sulawesi
South Sulawesi is a province of Indonesia, located on the western southern peninsula of Sulawesi Island. The province is bordered by Central Sulawesi province to the north, South East Sulawesi province to the east and West Sulawesi province to the west...
and Aceh
Aceh
Aceh is a special region of Indonesia, located on the northern tip of the island of Sumatra. Its full name is Daerah Istimewa Aceh , Nanggroë Aceh Darussalam and Aceh . Past spellings of its name include Acheh, Atjeh and Achin...
joined the Darul Islam and acknowledged Kartosuwirjo as their highest authority through in practice there was little coordination between the rebels in the different provinces. In 1957, agents sent by Kartosuwirjo unsuccessfully attempted to assassinate 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...
by grenade attack during a primary school function at Cikini, Central Jakarta
Central Jakarta
Central Jakarta is one of the five cities which form Jakarta, Indonesia. It had 898,883 inhabitants at the 2010 Census.Central Jakarta is the smallest in area and population of the five cities of Jakarta. It is the administrative and political center of Jakarta and Indonesia...
.
Defeat and Death
Declaration of martial law in 1957 and establishment of Guided Democracy by SukarnoSukarno
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...
in 1959 proved to be a turning point for Darul Islam's fortunes. The military introduced effective "fence of legs" method to encircle the guerillas' mountain bases and cutting off their supply and escape route, forcing the rebels to surrender or face annihilation in face of superior firepower. Kartosuwirjo responded by declaring "total war" in 1961, in which Darul Islam guerillas increasingly used terror tactics and banditry against civilians, further alienating the population. He also sent agents to 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...
, where on May 1962 they made another unsuccessful assassination attempt on 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...
during the Eid al-Adha prayers.
On June 1962, Kartosuwirjo was eventually captured in his hideout at Mount Geber near Garut
Garut
Garut is a town in the West Java province of Indonesia and is the capital of the Garut Regency. It is located about 75 km to the southeast of the major city of Bandung.-History:...
. In captivity, he issued order for his followers to surrender. The last Darul Islam band in West Java, operating at Mount Ciremai, surrendered on August 1962. Kartosuwirjo was brought to 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...
, where he was tried by military court-martial. He was found guilty of rebellion and attempted assassination of the president, and was sentenced to death. He was executed by firing squad on September 5, 1962.