The Final Moments of Kartosoewirjo

On June 4, 1962, a unit of the Kujang II Siliwangi battalion ambushed and captured the leader, or imam, of the Indonesian Islamic State (NII), Sekarmadji Maridjan Kartosoewirjo, and his followers in the Mount Sangkar and Mount Geber areas in West Java.

On a run from the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), Kartosoewirjo spent a lot of time hiding and surviving in the forest, causing his body frail and unkempt. When captured, he had contracted numerous diseases. His face was gaunt with whitened hair and mustache, making him look older than his real age, 57 at that time.

After his arrest, Kartosoewirjo underwent a trial from August 14-16, 1962. He was charged with three counts: leading and organizing attacks, attempting to overthrow the legitimate government of the Republic of Indonesia, and assassinating the president. "The second and third charges were denied by Kartosoewirjo," said Sardjono Kartosoewirjo, the imam's youngest son.

The Military Court found Kartosoewirjo guilty and sentenced him to death. His last-ditch attempt at clemency failed because President Sukarno rejected it. At last, Kartosoewirjo had to fulfill his destiny.

On September 12, 1962, before his execution, Kartosoewirjo had the opportunity to gather with his family, one of his four last wishes. Present on that occasion was his wife, Dewi Siti Kalsum, the daughter of Ardiwisastra, a figure from Malangbong branch of the Indonesian Islamic Union Party (PSII), who had given him 12 children–only seven of whom lived until 1962. Also there to meet their father were Tahmid Basuki Rahmat, Dodo Mohammad Darda, Kartika, Komalasari, and Danti.

Kartosoewirjo's final moments are recorded in the book Hari Terakhir Kartosoewirjo: 81 Foto Eksekusi Imam DI/TII (The Last Day of Kartosoewirjo: 81 Photos of the Execution of DI/TII Imam) compiled by politician Fadli Zon. The book was launched at Cipta III Building, Taman Ismail Marzuki, Jakarta in September 2012, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of Kartosoewirjo's execution. In addition to an exhibition, there was a discussion with speakers such as Sardjono Kartosoewirjo, historian Muhammad Iskandar, and Fadli Zon.

"I bought it about two years ago from a collector, an Indonesian. I thought it would be better if the photos didn't go abroad, so I bought them," said Fadli Zon, unwilling to mention the collector's name.

Kartosoewirjo was born in Cepu, Central Java on January 7, 1905 to a family of an opium salesman. He received education that was mainly exclusive for the nobles or priyayi, and even studied in Nederlands Indische Artsen School in Surabaya for four years before being expelled due to him being accused of involvement in a political movement after joining Jong Java. His uncle, Mas Marco Kartodikromo, was the one that introduced him to the nationalist movement and marxism.

No longer at school, Kartosoewirjo worked as an editor at Fadjar Asia newspaper. In Surabaya, he studied with "the Uncrowned King of Java" HOS Tjokroaminoto and even became his personal secretary. He also became friends with another Tjokroaminoto disciple, Sukarno, who later took a different political path from him. When he joined the West Java commission of PSII, he developed a relationship with Ajengan (title for a prominent Islamic figure) Yusuf Taujiri, his mentor and spiritual teacher.

Kartosoewirjo's view became more radical after he presented his concept of hijrah, struggles against injustice and colonization, at the PSII congress in 1936. Kartosoewirjo and his supporters then created a new faction called the Committee for the Defense of Truth and established Institut Suffah, a cadre education institution by adopting the approach of Islamic boarding school or pesantren, especially those in Malangbong, Garut, the village of his in-laws. However, his idea didn't receive support from Ajengan Yusuf. Institut Suffah didn't continue, and some of them returned to their respective villages.

When the Japanese arrived in Indonesia, Kartosoewirjo joined the Supreme Islamic Council of Indonesia (MIAI) and the Jawa Hokokai. He even actively fostered guerrillas around Banten and led a Malangbong-based Laskar Hizbullah (Hizbullah Army). "These Kartosoewirjo-led Laskar were never supported by the government at that time," Fadli Zon said.

In 1949, Indonesia underwent a political change. When West Java experienced a power vacuum, Kartosoewirjo, who was disappointed with the decision of the Renville Agreement, established an Islamic state on August 7, 1949 in Cisampak village, Cilugalar sub-district, Tasikmalaya regency. The government considered this effort as a rebellion, and immediately took strategic steps to suppress it.

Kartosoewirjo had been eager to establish an Islamic state since he heard that Japan had lost to the Allies on August 6, 1945. The declaration was planned for August 14, 1945. At that time, Kartosoewirjo, who had moved to Jakarta, asked Kiai Yusuf to proclaim the Islamic State of Indonesia (NII), but Kiai Yusuf refused. In 1946, Kartosoewirjo, an active member of Masyumi in the West Java Priangan region, remained consistent in his political stance of non-cooperation with the colonizers. He rejected the Linggarjati and Renville Agreements. He and the Laskar Hizbullah he established refused to leave West Java to move to Yogyakarta. Then, together with Laskar Hizbullah from Cirebon, Cicalengka, and Blubur-Garut under the leadership of Zainal Abidin, he formed Islamic Armed Forces of Indonesia (TII).

When the United States of Indonesia dissolved on August 17, 1950, Kartosoewirjo, who had declared the NII a year earlier, believed that it was a failure of the secular government system called the Republic of Indonesia. Through his letter to President Sukarno, he invited him to make Islam the foundation of the state, but that proposition of his was ignored. In 1950-1952 the Darul Islam/Islamic Armed Forces of Indonesia (DI/TII) initiated many attacks on the government of the Republic of Indonesia. Cities and police posts were attacked, not only at night but also during the day. It took quite some time before the DI/TII was finally quelled by TNI, and for Kartosoewirjo to be arrested.

That day, Kartosoewirjo wore a long-sleeved shirt and plaid sarong. A cigarette never left his fingers. At the meeting, he and his family had lunch. While his wife and children devoured the Padang specialty, rendang served as the menu, Kartosoewirjo didn't eat a thing.

After lunch, they had a light conversation. Kartosoewirjo's children looked very stoic when the military prosecutor asked their father to give his final messages. Kartosoewirjo thought for a moment then spoke to the family.

"I wasn't there, I was only five years old at the time. But there was no important message told by my father at that time, because the meeting was guarded by the army," Sardjono said.

The family then gathered for a photo session. Kartosoewirjo sat in a row with his wife and three daughters Kartika, Komalasari, and Danti. Behind them were his two sons, Tahmid Basuki Rahmat and Dodo Mohammad Darda. They all looked stiff. While Darda and Komalasari averted their gaze from the camera, Dewi Siti Kalsum's eyes were closed, perhaps because of the camera flash.

After the meeting, Kartosoewirjo performed a repentance prayer. Afterwards a soldier, probably an imam from the TNI's spiritual division, delivered a short sermon. Kartosoewirjo listened attentively with his eyes closed.

An officer came, handcuffed his hands, and took him to a waiting room. His Rolex watch was removed, and his other possessions were handed over to the family. In the waiting room, which looked more like a warehouse, Kartosoewirjo took his time to enjoy another cigarette, before the prison car took him to the PGM ship.

On board the PGM, Kartosoewirjo lay on a bed, his head propped up with pillows. An officer with a beret sat on the side of his bed, while two other armed officers stood at the end of the bed. Kartosoewirjo stared at the ceiling. He clasped his handcuffed hands together and placed them on his stomach.

Shortly after, Kartosoewirjo was taken by several officers to the LCM (Landing Craft Mechanized), the ship that took him to Ubi Island, one of Jakarta's Thousand Islands, where he was executed and buried. However, the island has now sunk due to sand mining. "Through this series of photos, we can at least know that Kartosoewirjo was buried on the Ubi Island and not on Onrust as is believed so far," Fadli Zon said.

In addition, the photo denied the scurrilous rumor saying that Kartosoewirjo was not treated in Islamic way when he was executed. "It turns out that he was treated according to Islam way, and people prayed salah for him. With this photo, controversy and groundless assumptions were finally exposed," said Mohammad Iskandar.

Photos taken from Fadli Zon's collection

By: Aryono and Darma Ismayanto

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