15 OCT. 1963 2e JAARGANG No. 4 A BRIDGE BETWEEN EAST AND WEST What is true about the "Harmonie-oproer"? Spotlight on Dutch Indonesian History (XVII) Many Indo's know vaguely something about a "revolt oproerof the Indo," "very long ago," culminating in streetfights around the Dutch Community Center "Harmonie" in Batavia, in which fights many Indo's are supposed to be killed. What is true about that legend and what is it all about? The legend refers to a nervous mass-meet ing in the building De Harmoniein Ba tavia on May 22nd, 1848, that could have ended in a bloody clash, but finished rather peacefully. Nobody was killed. It is a very unpleasant story though and it is under standable that very little is written or told about. The year 1848 as we know was a crucial year for the history of Europe: a sudden wave of revolts went through many coun tries. There were street-fights in Paris, Nap- oly, Vienna, Berlin. The French King, Louis- Philippe, fled from France. Many countries got far more liberal constitutions: more civi)i rights and more freedom for the people. The echo's of these revolts also reverberated in Holland, where King William II "turned from conservative to liberal in 24 hours," and in the Dutch East Indies, particularly in Batavia, where a revolt of the Indo's and Indo-Chinese seemed to be threatening and a nervous Governor-General Rochussen or dered an alert for a half battalion infantry, a detachment cavalry and several pieces of canon. What was happening? A popular and very liberal dominee (pro testant clergyman), Wolter Robert van Hoë- vell, had organized with a few liberal friends a gathering in the "Harmonie" with the intention to draft three petitions lor H.M. the King. Word got out that in these pe titions would be asked for abolishing of the "Delfts prerogatief" (by which higher ranks in the Government were exceptionally re served for students of the "Konnklijke In dische Academie" in Delft the so called uitgezonden krachten"), for a free press, for direct representation of the people in the Dutch East Indies in the Parliament in Holland, for abolishing all of Dutch trade monopolies, etc. etc. Two petitions came from the liberal Totoksin the Dutch East Indies; the third petition from a group of representants of the Indo's. As rumours about these peti tions went by "kabar angin" through Ba tavia, a wave of excitement went through the groups of Indo's and Indo-Chinese. By thousands and thousands they came to the "Harmonie" and soon all the streets around this building, Rijswijk, Noordwijk, Molen vliet, Djagamonjet, Petodjo and the so called Franse Buurt(French Quarter), the street alongside the Harmonie, were crowded by nervously expecting, but orderly people. From his palace at Rijswijk, a few hun dred yards from the Harmony, the Gover nor-General could see these crowds and afraid for possible streetfights he ordered the above mentioned military movements. In the "Nwe. Rott. Crt." from August 9, 1848, we may read that already at half past six the building was crammed to overflow ing, Indo's forming by far the greater part. The chairman got more and more nervous; he openend the meeting hastily at 6,30, informed the gathering that three petitions should be presented to H.M. the King, and closed the meeting at once. But nobody would go. Therupon mr. Mijer, vice-presi dent of the "Hoog Geregtshof" (High Court of Justice) tried to calm down the masses, imploring them to go home quietly. But again nobody would go home. One of the fiercest opponents was mr. P. C. Ardesch, president of the "Raad van Justitie," a con vinced liberal. Again and again he protested against the "Delfts prerogatief," against the trade-monopolies, against slavery (still ex isting in the Dutch East Indies up to that year), enthousiastically applauded by the Indo's. The situation became dangerous. What if the masses outside the building got excited? What in the future when too much freedom would give the Indo-grouD (and thereafter the Indonesian people) too much power? The more cautious friends of Van Hoë- vell at least succeeded in appeasing Ardesch and the Indo's and could persuade them with sweet promises to go home ("met een zoet lijntje weg krijgen")At nine o'clock the "revolt" was over. No shot was fired. Only silly optimists could expect any re sult from the petitions. In the first place only two petitions (from the "Totoks") got any attention. The third petition from the Indo's got "lost" for good. Never more anything about it was heard ever since. (It is strange, but documents of any importance for the Indo group always get Continued on page 2) Memorial for Schelling Marien and Sosemito at Gugar Malintang see The Am. Tong-Tong No. 24)

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American Tong Tong | 1963 | | pagina 1