The Makassar Uprising, also known as Andi Aziz rebellion, was a skirmish in
Republic of the United States of Indonesia government. The purpose of the uprising was to revolt against the incorporation of the Indonesian federated "states" into the Indonesian Republic. However, the uprising was quashed in a little over two weeks when troops under Lieutenant Colonel Suharto and Colonel Alexander Evert Kawilarang arrived at Makassar to find only light resistance.[2]
The East Indonesian government refused to condone Aziz's actions and he was subsequently arrested in Jakarta on 14April while attempting to negotiate with the republican authorities. The Makassar Uprising only facilitated republican control over the federal states.
Background
Following the end of
Republic of Indonesia centered on Java clashed with Dutch decolonization efforts to implement a system of federal states which was part of a Dutch commonwealth. Negotiations were dogged by skirmishes and police actions.[5]
In Sulawesi, resistance to Dutch rule was successfully suppressed by Captain Raymond Westerling, who drew controversy for his use of arbitrary terror tactics including rounding up villages and summarily executing members until they submitted information.[6] However, the eradication of Republican forces paved the way for the establishment of a more amenable East Indonesian civil administration based in Makassar.[7] In South Sulawesi, they[clarification needed] also replaced more than a quarter of the pro-Republican local nobility including the Rajahs of Bone and Lawu, prompting the remaining rajahs to collaborate with the Dutch authorities.[6]
In December 1948, the Dutch launched a second police action
UN Security Council called for the end of hostilities. In January 1949, it passed a resolution demanding the reinstatement of the Republican government.[10]
International pressure forced the Dutch to continue negotiations with the Republicans, culminating in the Dutch agreeing to recognise Indonesian sovereignty over a new
Netherlands New Guinea; sovereignty over which it was agreed would be retained by the Netherlands until further negotiations with Indonesia. Sovereignty was transferred on December 27, 1949. The new RUSI government consisted of both Republicans and Federalists but was short-lived due to animosity between the two parties and growing popular support for a unitary state.[11]
On January 23, 1950, Westerling and the federalist Cabinet member
Pasundan and West Kalimantan into the Republic of Indonesia by April 1950.[13]
The uprising
The monument erected by the Indonesian government to commemorate the landing of Indonesian troops to suppress the uprising
Due to the strong presence of KNIL troops in Sulawesi and other parts of East Indonesia, there was much suspicion towards the intentions of the unitary central government in Jakarta. Efforts were made to integrate the KNIL into the RUSI army, but this was impeded by mutual distrust between the predominantly Javanese Indonesian military and the largely Ambonese and Minahasan KNIL.
Soumokil banned all public meetings and jailed pro-Republican leaders in response to public pro-Republic protests.[13] On April 5, 1950, the Jakarta central government dispatched a force of 700 Republican troops under Colonel Sunkono and Colonel Mokoginto to persuade the East Indonesian President Soekawati to join the Republic and to step down. These troops were further augmented by 200 pro-Republican guerrillas in the Makassar region.[14]
Fears that this deployment would shift the balance in favour of pro-Republican elements and lead to disorder prompted Soumokil and other pro-federal elements to convince the local KNIL forces to launch a coup.
However, most of the East Indonesian government including President Soekawati refused to condone or support his coup. By April 13,
Sultan of Yogyakarta Hamengkubuwono IX who incarcerated him in his private prison.[17] The capture of Aziz ended resistance and allowed 2,000 RUSI troops to swiftly occupy Makassar by April 21.[18]
Aftermath
The elimination of the KNIL as a political actor allowed Republican factions in the East Indonesian parliament to assume a majority. The federalist Prime Minister Diapari was replaced by Martinus Putuhena, who declared martial law and established an Emergency Government in South Sulawesi which was controlled directly by Jakarta. Following the release of Republican political prisoners, guerrilla forces in the upland regions launched attacks against pro-Dutch aristocrats in the urban areas. This led to further fighting with the remaining KNIL units and the abolishment of local aristocratic principalities.[15]
The new East Indonesian Cabinet was pro-Republican and advocated the integration of East Indonesia into the unitary Indonesian Republic.
Republic of Indonesia.[20] Due to his leading role in the uprising, Aziz was subsequently tried in 1952 and sentenced to 14 years imprisonment.[18]
Bibliography
Kahin, George McTurnan (1952). Nationalism and Revolution in Indonesia. Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell University Press.
Palmer, Leslie H. (1962). Indonesia and the Dutch. London: Oxford University Press.
Westerling, Raymond Paul Pierre (1952). Mes aventures en Indonesie (in French). – translated from the French to English by Waverley Root as – Challenge to terror. London: W. Kimber.
Republic of Indonesia
