The 1947 Tambun Angke Massacre

The elderly woman spoke in a sorrowful tone. With a soft and trembling voice, she recounted a massacre that happened back then in her village, Tambun Sungai Angke. Around 70 years ago, in an area that is now known as Pahlawan Setia Village (situated in Tarumajaya District, Bekasi Regency), death claimed the lives of dozens of its residents. "Including Kopang, my mamang (uncle) who was a community leader here," said Gerot, one of the elderly residents.

The story of the massacre of guerrillas and civilians during a Dutch military clearing operation in the ommelanden (suburbs of Batavia), such as Bekasi, is not a figment of the imagination. According to Robert Briston Cribb, during December 1947, the purges in Karawang and Bekasi took place at a high intensity, resulting in many casualties.

"But this tactic was quite effective because it succeeded in destroying the balance of resistance of the nationalists so that the Dutch civilian government could begin to be established in the interior," wrote Cribb in Para Jago dan Kaum Revolusioner Jakarta 1945–1949.

Tambun Sungai Angke, which is part of Bekasi, wasn't exempt from this situation. According to Gerot, before invading his village, the Dutch first threatened that the people of Tambun Angke should immediately pick a Recomba (Regerings Commissaris Bestuurs Aangelegenheden), a Dutch term for the Dutch version of emergency government initiated by H. J. van Mook as a precondition for the formation of a federal government in Indonesia. Of course, to secure the continuation of the government, they were supported by the Dutch East Indies Royal Army (KNIL) and the Dutch Royal Army (KL).

"With my own eyes, I saw the Dutch soldiers finish off the men in my village," said Gerot, who is a former midwife in Tambun Angke.

The Beginning of the Upheaval

Unlike other villages in Bekasi, until the end of 1947 Tambun Sungai Angke didn't have a Recomba. According to Abdul Karim or Karung, this situation displeased the Dutch people, especially after they found out that administratively the people of Tambun Sungai Angke belonged to Pamahan village, which was led by a pro-Republican headman. "His name is Lurah Bajing. If we had any trouble, we'd go to him," said Abdul Karim.

Dutch suspicion of the Tambun Sungai Angke people grew when rumors emerged that the village was a base for Republican guerrillas. But was the allegation true? Gerot denied it. According to him, the people of Tambun Sungai Angke had nothing to do with the war. They were just busy with their daily work as farmers. Even if it is associated with the laskar (paramilitary unit), Gerot said that his village was only visited twice by a small group of "laskar dressed in black". "They only came to eat and drink at my stall," said the elderly woman, whose memory is still strong.

Benny Rusmawan, a history observer in Bekasi, suspected that the small units of troops who visited Gerot's stall were Lasykar Hizbullah led by KH Noer Ali, a Bekasi guerrilla leader. "As far as I know, one of the characteristics of Lasykar Hizbullah is their black-and-black uniform," he said.

In contrast to Gerot, Ibrohim confirmed that in his village there were indeed several young men who secretly joined guerrilla forces such as Lasykar Hizbullah, Lasykar Rakyat Bekasi, and Barisan Banteng Republik Indonesia (BBRI). "I myself was a member of Hizbullah led by KH Noer Ali and participated in the big battle at Pamahan," he said proudly.

In line with Ibrohim's account, Rojak (79) still remembers that the laskar and Indonesian Republican Army (TRI) men such as Panji, Arbi, Asmat, and Lieutenant Mali - the first two names mentioned by Cribb in his book as the leaders of the Bekasi laskar - often secretly came to the house of his foster father, Kopang, one of the community leaders of Tambun Angke. At that time, Rojak was 10 years old. According to Rojak, although he didn't understand what they were talking about, he was sure Kopang had a special relation with the guerrillas.

"My foster father was said to take care of the laskar and soldiers here," he said.

Long story short, the Dutch gave an ultimatum to the people of Tambun Sungai Angke to appoint a headman as soon as possible. There were even rumors that the Dutch had already picked someone, which was Jiran, a community leader who was none other than Kopang's younger brother. "But Mr. Jiran refused, and instead ran to Cireundeu in Jakarta," said Rojak.

Under the Drizzle

The sun was rising in Tambun Sungai Angke when a man named Kojin went around the village, distributing invitations to the Recomba election from house to house. Along with a little threat, Kojin stated that the presence of Tambun Angke residents in the election was mandatory. "I still remember him telling my foster father, Kopang: 'If you don't attend the event tomorrow, things could get really bad'," Rojak recalled.

Despite the threats, none of the Tambun Sungai Angke residents came to the Recomba election the next day. So at dusk on that same day, under a drizzle, KNIL soldiers in green uniforms appeared from the east and north of the village with guns in their hands. "As they entered the village they killed every man they met on the road, then came to each house and ordered each man to come out to be shot," Ibrohim recalled.

The first victim was a man named Tolang. As soon as the KNIL soldier saw him, he was called and shot directly in the head until it exploded. The next victim was Bihan, who died in his house as a result of a Sten gun bullet passing from his mouth to his nape. Then Garno, a young woman, was killed by a stray bullet. And this horror went on until the village streets were littered with corpses and blood.

Meanwhile, near the small mosque (now the At Taqwa Mosque), a KNIL unit that came from the east immediately launched its action. After killing a man named Kodir in front of his house, they gathered dozens of men in front of the small mosque. Kopang and Solih were among those caught in the operation. Seeing her uncle and brother being violently led away by KNIL soldiers, Gerot became hysterical.

"Sir! Sir! Don't kill my uncle, Sir!" screamed Gerot while trying to approach her uncle. A KNIL soldier roughly pushed Gerot's body to the ground.

After Gerot, it was Solih's turn to hug Kopang. "Bagen mamang! Bagen mamang! (Let my uncle go! Let my uncle go!), let's die together," he shouted. Instead of feeling sorry, a KNIL man slashed his klewang (sword) into Solih's stomach. In an instant, his intestines burst open and fresh blood poured out of his stomach.

That dusk, the drizzle was still soaking the bloodied ground. There were echoes of the cries of women and children, along with the sound of continuous Bren gun shots that finished off the men who were lined up in front of the mosque. Bodies were strewn all over the place. The stench of blood was clashing with the smell of steaming gunpowder. Very soon, puddles of rainwater turned red in Tambun Angke.

Those Who Were Slaughtered

One day in 1984. The unusual events that took place in Tambun Angke were clearly recorded in Syaifulloh H.R.'s mind. Officials and a group of officers from Bekasi Regency came to his remote village. Several trucks belonging to the Armed Forces of the Republic of Indonesia (ABRI) and official vehicles lined up in front of his house.

"Solemnly, they followed the ceremony of moving the skeletons of the victims of the 1947 massacre, from Tambun Angke to the Bekasi Heroes Cemetery in Bulak Kapal," said the Syaifulloh.  

How many victims actually fell in the 1947 Tambun Angke Massacre? Officially, the skeletons of the victims of the massacre were exhumed and moved to the Heroes Cemetery totaled 17 people. According to Kintang (79), the remains of the victims were taken from various "makeshift graves" scattered throughout Tambun Angke. "The depth is very shallow, the deepest is only about 100 cm. Yes, it is understandable that only women and children like me buried the bodies at that time," said Kintang.

According to Abdul Karim or Karung, not all the skeletons of the Tambun Angke Massacre victims were moved to the Bekasi Heroes Cemetery. Apart from the rejection of the victims' families, not all skeletons could be found. "For example, no one took care of the body of Tolang, who was shot in the head and entered the kobak (pond). Nobody knows where his body is," said Karung.

Apart from Tolang, said Karung, many bodies were not taken care of. Even if they were buried, the location was arbitrary: in front of or behind the house, in the courtyard of the mosque, or even out of fear, some buried the bodies near the latrine. For example, Sinun, Syaifulloh's grandfather, was buried behind his house. "In 2005, we moved his skeleton to the family grave near At Taqwa Mosque," Syaifulloh said.

Based on the testimony of five surviving historical eye witnesses, apart from the 17 bodies that have been re-buried in the Bekasi Heroes Cemetery, there are still several people who were victims of the 1947 Tambun Angke Massacre.

So, the total number of victims who died in the 1947 Tambun Angke Massacre was 32 people, including several "guests" who were in Tambun Angke at the time of the unfortunate incident. For example, Solichin who came from Legoa (about 10 km from Tambun Angke) or a man outside the village who is still unknown to the Tambun Angke villagers.  

"I think the number could reach 50," said Gerot. Gerot's statement was confirmed by Faisyah, a woman born in Tambun Angke. While on her way to evacuate outside Tambun Angke with her mother that fateful afternoon, she saw dozens of bodies lying in one corner of the village. "Those who were slaughtered were all men," she said.