GORONTALO FREE 23 JANUARY 1942?
Romi Hidayat, S.S
(Alumni of Udayana Archaeology)
Gorontalo In The Kingdom
Before the Dutch colonial period of the 16th century, Gorontalo local circumstances shaped the monarchies governed by customary law constitutional Gorontalo. Kingdoms were joined in a familial bond called "Pohalaa".
Etymologically container pohalaa is family unity, with another understanding pohalaa is a society of law in a kingdom or a union of the kingdoms are bound by kinship, customs, beliefs, customary law, governance, and civic Gorontalo (Dama, 1993) . Gorontalo area consists of 5 Pohalaa, namely:
1. Pohalaa Gorontalo
2. Pohalaa Limboto
3. Pohalaa Bone (including Suwawa and Bintauna)
4. Pohalaa Bolango (in 1862 renamed Boalemo), and
5. Pohalaa Atinggola
King of pohalaa-pohalaa is determined by Baate Baate (indigenous stakeholders). Of the five pohalaa those who stand out are pohalaa Gorontalo and pohalaa Limboto which are the two largest kingdoms. Subjects are divided into tribes (linula-linula who then called the) and headed by a Olongia. The origin of the name of Gorontalo there are different opinions and explanations, among others:
a. Derived from Hulontalangio, name of one of the kingdom which shortened to Hulontalo.
b. Derived from Hua Lolontalango which means people who walk Gowa traffic.
c. Hulutalangi which means more noble.
d. Lo Hulua Tola, which means the development of fish cork.
e. Pongolatalo or Pohulatalo which means a place to wait.
f. Mount Telu which means three mountains
g. Hunto which means a place which is always flooded.
So the origin of the name Gorontalo (meaning she) is not known anymore, but it is clear that the word "Hulontalo" until now still alive in the words of Gorontalo and by the Dutch because of the difficulty in saying it is pronounced with "Horontalo" and when written to "Gorontalo".
Early Acquainted with Western Nations
The arrival of Western nations to Indonesia began in the 16th century. Their arrival attracted the spices of Indonesia, especially the spices from the Moluccas. Western nations who first came to Indonesia was the Portuguese who sailed from Malacca in 1511. The Portuguese was sailing from Malacca towards Gresik (East Java) and continue to the Moluccas where bevy of spices.
The Spanish then followed in 1521, with two ships through the Philippines, North Borneo, Tidore, Bacan, and Jailolo. The arrival of the Spaniards caused the dispute with the Portuguese, so that the Spaniards still sail to the Moluccas through an agreement with Portugal until the year 1534, thus becoming free to do the Portuguese spice trade monopoly.
Furthermore, the Dutch arrived in Indonesia (Banten) in 1596, then continued toward the Tuban and sailed to the Moluccas. In the Moluccas they siggah in Ternate and the Sultan of Ternate welcomed the arrival of the Dutch, because the Sultan of Ternate were hostile to the Portuguese and Spanish (Tjandrasasmita, 1981/1982: 39).
In 1607 Dutch visit to North Sulawesi with the approval of the King of Ternate, because North Sulawesi is part of his power. The Dutch commissioned by the Sultan of Ternate to tell all the people who are in Manado Ternate return to Ternate. This is intended to facilitate the Dutch people repulse the Spanish Nation in Manado, North Sulawesi, who came to the Philippines.
In 1617 the Spanish tried to spread the Catholic religion in the vicinity of Lake Tondano, but got a rejection. In 1643 the local elite who invited the Protestant Netherlands for help, and since then the Dutch began to establish its hegemony. in North Sulawesi.
Governor Vernigde Oost-Indische Compagnie (VOC) ruled in Ternate, Robert Padtrugge made their way across North Sulawesi towards Kwandang (Gorontalo), determination of the contract year 1678 and there he decided. Gorontalo local elites and Limboto can not be dodged when Ternate had handed over his rights to the VOC Limboto Gorontalo and which has broad authority not only in matters of trade, even the master source of food supplies including the supply lines.
1727 Governor Robert Padtrugge appoint Peter Kokc as representative VOCs in Gorontalo, when it began to interfere in affairs of the royal government. This has led to the disruption of traditional governance structure Gorontalo which in turn cause resentment by native rulers that eventually lead to conflict, triggered by the imposition of the will of the Netherlands in consolidating its position in the area of Gorontalo.
Intervention and Hegemony Netherlands
Substitution of VOCs government politics to the Netherlands East Indies at the turn of the 18th century until the 19th century, characterized by the bankruptcy VOC caused by various factors, including accounting fraud, corruption, weak employee, monopoly system, and the system forced the authorities to bring the moral decline and suffering population.
At the same time Holland is having harmful effects of the war against England in gaining mastery of the trade. Holland himself was under the influence of French imperial rule under Napoleon.
Dutch intervention against the government's political life Gorontalo seen in the letter of the Interior Office of the Director of Administration dated February 6, 1886 number 943 (in Joni Ibid, 2006: 45). The letter containing that kings and royal dignitaries Gubernemen recognize the right of the Dutch East Indies in the selection and appointment of successor-replacement in the position as king, when there is a vacancy, so that none of the major state employees who use the title jogugu, padrone sea, and marsaoleh (sub-district level) will be dismissed or removed without approval and was accepted both by the government. Reduced political freedom of a government and its people as a result of direct intervention.
Intervention evident when Dutch government appointed a King Gauvernment in Gorontalo which at that time there were two kings namely King Gouvernment, responsible for maintaining relationships with Gubernemen and King Negorij charge of domestic affairs. Pengankatan king is one deviation from a traditional bureaucratic system that embraces Gorontalo customary constitutional system. The impact of these issues among others king's power into authority, the people must still have the gold.
The situation was eventually brought the implications of the weakness and even loss of almost brotherly kingdom (pohalaa) in Gorontalo. Another implication, the people in this case a victim of the arbitrary power of the marsaoleh. Factors unfamiliar full control to be one cause of this persaoalan. Withholding tax (blasting) done by force by marsaoleh to the people as was the case in Batudaa in 1872, that every resident must pay taxes on individuals with various articles, and each chapter has a price value of different taxes, clear rules is one indicator of the arbitrariness of power which is then ignited the public antipathy toward authority officials at the time.
The emergence of nationalism in Gorontalo
Nationalism is a political doctrine, feelings or thoughts that are based on the assumption that the society should be organized in the form of states (nation-state) and the states become the central point of the loyalty of individuals and groups (Riter, 1986: 294).
The main key of the movement of nationalism is the involvement of the intelligentsia, where the implications of the presence of an intellectual turn into a boomerang for the Dutch colonial system. Awareness of those who have obtained education to begin a new Babakan in the struggle against the occupiers began to appear in Gorontalo, in terms of development of various organizational movement that began around the 1920's both from the expansion and development organization based in Java and are popping up in Gorontalo.
The emergence of various socio-political ornganisasi in Gorontalo shows that at that time had put the national interest as a major. The organizations that emerged in Gorontalo, among others: Sinar Budi (SB), SI (SI), Muhammadiyah, Nahdatussyafiiyah, Party of Indonesia Raya (Parindra), Arab Party of Indonesia (PAI), Persatuan Islam (Persis), Combined Indonesian Political Party (GAPI), and the youth movement among Jong Gorontalo, Jong Bond Islamiten (JIB), and Scout the Nation of Indonesia (KBI).
Reviewed the history of the organization mentioned above, the SI organization in 1921 that turned into SI Party (PSI) stained clash with the Dutch government tool. The clashes occurred in the Masjid Jami '(now the Great Mosque Baiturrahim Gorontalo), clashes occurred in 1931 stems from the speech PSI figures who smells of politics and considered against the ban on Dutch colonial rule that has been determined.
Joint Indonesian Political Party which was founded in 1939, is a new federation that wants to show desire unity Indonesian political parties who claim to holding "full parliament in Indonesia." Five months after the formation of GAPI, in October 1939 in the form of GAPI Gorontalo led by Rekso Sumitro.
Action "Indonesia Berparlemen" feared by the Dutch government, the warning issued by the Governor-General, Welter said that this action will only lead to disillusionment. Although the action was rejected by the government of Governor General, but GAPI continue the action. According GAPI in the meeting which was held at Pure Cinema (now shops), the chance that one member of the Koesno Danoepojo Welter said that the answer which says Indonesia is not yet ripe for berparlemen, may he in a state of "sleep" so that the Indonesian people say immature berparlementer (Massa, 2000:8). In a meeting of an incident by the police the disbanding of Couper who was then overseeing the meeting, in the subsequent development GAPI carefully because of government warnings.
Struggle Towards Independence
Resistance to the Dutch in Gorontalo in 1942 that was driven by a non-governing elite group with the people as supporters, basically driven by a factor of development of the situation that occurred in the Netherlands as well as the domestic situation in the Dutch East Indies. Attack by Germany on May 10, 1940 which succeeded in paralyzing the city center of Rotterdam, the result on May 15, the Netherlands surrendered.
These conditions make the Dutch colonial government in Gorontalo was pressed. Akbibatnya, the steps taken by the Dutch East Indies government in Gorontalo realize the scorched earth policy in a number of vital objects, such as copra warehouses, ports, and others. Were committed by troops Vernielingcorps, namely crushing force consisting of officials and commanders, Ass.Res become (Massa, AL, 2000:6). Clearly action Vernielingcorps troops get a strong reaction from among the nationalists and the people.
In such a situation on 10 January 1942, Nani Wartabone sent a letter to the Resident Ass Dancona Corn and controller. The letter was in it a threat if the Dutch government still held a demolition, then the people ready to organize resistance.
Right Friday night of January 16, 1942 the nationalists engaged in secret to face the Dutch actions. They held a meeting at the home R.M. Koesno Danoepojo with the leaders of the people, the meeting is successful struggle to form the body called the Committee of the Twelve, with its chairman and vice Koesno Wartabone Nani.
Twelve Committee Task is to maintain and protect the safety of people and regions from any action detrimental to the people of colonial. In this case Koesno also instructed the members of the Committee of Twelve to mobilize the youth and political organizations and youth organizations to jointly fight against Dutch colonialism. Instruction shows the unity of attitude and actions that are part of their strategies formulated in this committee.
In the midst of consolidation with the youth on January 19, 1942, vernielingcorps re-staged combustion, which is targeted port of Gorontalo and Kwandang. As a result of this action a number of warehouses, homes, and a ship called KM Kololio also burned.
From the second arson showed that attitudes and actions of the Dutch colonial government did not respond to this letter Nani Wartabone on January 10, 1942, as a logical consequence that must be received by the Netherlands is a challenge and people's resistance.
Date January 22, 1942 until midnight, the people of the village Suwawa, Kabila, Tamalate, and other villages to the command post based at RM's house Koesno and also attended by members of the committee of twelve. The meeting agreed on the tasks and strategies that consist of four parts: first, control of facilities such as post office, telegraph, telephone and Gorontalo. Second, the release of political prisoners Netherlands. Third, care and acceptance of the detainees by people who focused in dormitory Veldpolitie. Fourth, attacks and ambushes against the Dutch colonial government officials (conducted by N. Wartabone and Koesno).
By 05.00, all the nationalists and young people moving along according to plan, the occupation of the Post Office, Telegraph and Telephone can be controlled by troops Ardani Ali and colleagues. Nani Koesno Wartabone together managed to master the Dutch police barracks, and while it also forces conduct raids against the Dutch government officials WC Roemer (Commander Veldpolitie), Dancona, City Police Commander (Hoofdagenat Stadpolitie), E. Couper, and Ass Resident Beny Corn.
At 07:00 am on January 23, 1942, troop movements of people and other organizational components together in a container of Political Association of Indonesia (GAPI) and has shown strength and tenacity during an offensive against the Dutch authorities. The other side in front of the Post Office R.M. Koesno Danoepojo displaying red and white piece of cloth that reads "Indonesia Berparlemen". In that place Koesno delivered a speech to the people of Gorontalo that all Dutch people had been arrested, do not steal, and rob, to keep it all together security and rob whoever will be given severe penalties,
It is also dipidatokan by N. Wartabone which confirms who is not "clean" should never intervene, call for extreme safety with the purpose of stabilizing the Gorontalo region. The call was a breath of fresh air for all people of Gorontalo, as well as a clear warning to those who violate the law. Peace and kondisif situation is very necessary, considering the 'chaos' that created the Netherlands has ruined everything.
Collective resistance that is characterized by the presence of raids, arrests, and detention against the Dutch was a successful coup to overthrow the colonial pemerindahan in Afdeeling Gorontalo. As reported by Hasan Usman in the brochure Gelora Revolution whose contents:
"Yes, today should be painted in the history of the struggle of Indonesian nationality. On that day for the first time the Red and White upright and outspoken on Indonesian soil, as a symbol of a free and sovereign government. She fluttered in front of the Post Office, Assistant Resident upfront residence Corn, du face City Police Office, in a dorm Veldpolitie, stores, shops and homes. Furthermore, Nani Wartabone and Koesno Danoepojo assisted all the people of Gorontalo has captured all the Dutch people, as well as representatives from the world of Dutch trade. They were all arrested, security protected the rest of their lives in detention "(Ministry of Information, p. 204-205, in Apriyanto, 2006:161).
Relative success forces the people in the overthrow of Dutch rule in Gorontalo, at 10:00 on January 23, 1942, people from all over the region come to the city square Afdeeling (now Field Youth), to have attended the flag raising Red and White. Nani Wartabone deliver a speech to the people:
"On this day January 23, 1942, we the Indonesian people who are here already independent, free and free from any colonial nation. Our Flag is Red and White Flag, our national anthem is Indonesia Raya?. The Dutch government has been taken over by the national government. "
With Gorontalo people's struggle against the Dutch that have been passed, it makes the wheels of government in Gorontalo back to normal. Some of the events after the date of January 23, 1942 ie, instructions Stadswacht formation on January 24, 1942, forming a guard troops in addition to the existing police force to protect vital areas, such as ports.
Gorontalo Nationalist Resistance and the people of the Netherlands, is basically an accumulation of factors in the previous period and then nationalists and people react totally marked by ambush, arrest, and detention of a number of Dutch officials in Gorontalo.
However, on February 26, 1942 a ship Onderzeejager Boot (submarine hunter ship) docked at the port of Gorontalo Japan, the coast guard told Nani Wartabone and RMKoesno. The arrival of the Japanese nation is led by Japanese top brass M. Yanai, welcoming conducted at Taruna Field decorated with red and white flag. The arrival of the Japanese people bring a special mission from the Japanese Navy leadership. Initial position of Japan in Gorontalo Gorontalo government has changed the phenomenon, the change was caused by the Japanese government's policy in Gorontalo, such as the formation of the board of Gunco Kaigi Co. (GICO).
REFERENCES
Apriyanto, Joni. 2006. Hisoriagrafi Gorontalo Konflik Gorontalo-Hindia Belanda Periode 1856-1942. Hal: 35-37. Gorontalo: UNG Press.
Dama, Nurdin. 1993. “Peranan Raja Eyato (1673-1679) Membangun Gorontalo” dalam Seminar Hari Ulang Tahun Kabupaten Gorontalo. Gorontalo: Pemerintah Kabupaten Gorontalo.
Massa, A.L, 2000. Mengenang Peristiwa 23Januari 1942 di Gorontalo. Gorontalo
Riter, Herry. 1986. Dictionary of Concepts in History. New York: Greenwood Press.
Uka Tjanrasasmita, 1981/1982 Sejarah Nasional Indonesia III. Hal: 39. Proyek Inventarisasi dan Dokumentasi Sejarah Nasional.
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