| APRA Coup d’état | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Indonesian National Revolution | |||||||
|
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| Belligerents | |||||||
| Tentara Nasional Indonesia Royal Netherlands East Indies Army[4] |
Legion of Ratu Adil/APRA | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Colonel Sadikine [5] Major General Engels[6] |
Raymond Westerling [5] Unidentified Lieutenant[5] |
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| Strength | |||||||
| Siliwangi Division[1] 4,500 TNI troops[2] |
523 APRA troops[2] | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| Approximately 100 dead[2] | Light[2] | ||||||
The APRA Coup d'état was a coup d'état by Raymond Westerling's Legion of Ratu Adil to capture Bandung and Jakarta, and to overthrow Sukarno’s unitary Republic of Indonesia. Westerling sought to preserve the federal Republic of the United States of Indonesia, which retained the support of the Netherlands and various minority elements. Despite the presence of the elite Siliwangi Division, Westerling’s APRA succeeded in capturing Bandung in the early hours of January 23, 1950. However, they were driven away by reinforcements under Major General Engels.[7]
Simultaneously, Westerling’s forces infiltrated Jakarta as part of a coup d’état to overthrow the RUSI Cabinet.[1] They also planned to arrest and assassinate several prominent Republican figures including the Defense Minister Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX and Secretary-General Ali Budiardjo. However, they were intercepted and forced to flee by Indonesian military forces. Meanwhile, Westerling was forced to flee to Singapore and APRA had ceased to function by February 1950. These events led to the downfall of Sultan Hamid II and accelerated the integration of the RUSI into the Republic by August 17, 1950.[7]
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Prior to the transfer of sovereignty on December 27 1949, a RUSI Cabinet consisting of both Republican and Federalist members was formed on December 17, 1949. This Cabinet was headed by Prime Minister Mohammad Hatta and included 11 Republicans and five Federalists including the pro-Dutch Sultan Hamid II. Ultimately, this federal government was short-lived due to conflicting differences between the Republicans and the Federalists as well as growing popular support for a unitary state.[8]
Growing tensions between the Republicans and Federalists prompted Hamid II to conspire with former Hamid II would subsequently conspire with the former KNIL Captain Raymond Westerling to organize an anti-Republican coup d’état which would ensure a federal Republic of the United States of Indonesia.[7] By January 1950, Westerling had built up a 2,000-strong militia force known as Angkatan Perang Ratu Adil (APRA, Legion of Ratu Adil) . It comprised various anti-Republican elements including demobilized Darul Islam and many former guerrillas including Republicans.[9] The Legion was further augmented by elements of the KNIL, Royal Netherlands Army and several sympathetic Dutch nationals including two police inspectors.[7]
Westerling’s coup d’état involved three phases: the simultaneous capture of Bandung and Djakarta. The third phase involved the capture of Buitenzorg (modern-day Bogor) where some minor government departments were based.[1] On January 22, Westerling’s troops would infiltrate the city onboard trucks and disguised as members of the Tentara Nasional Indonesia.[1] At 10 pm, they would seize ammunition stocks from the old KNIL arms depot in Bandung and then dispatch them to a rendezvous point 15 miles away for delivery to Djakarta by 11 pm. At 5 am on January 23, APRA forces based in nearby Tjimahi would capture strategic locations like military bases, police stations, and government buildings and communications facilities throughout Bandung and Jakarta.[1]
At dawn, APRA forces entered Bandung. However, the elite Siliwangi Division had been forewarned of Westerling’s plans and dispatched a motorized unit to intercept the Legion.[1] Despite their numerical and technical inferiority, APRA’s superior training allowed them to turn the tables on their opponents.[10] Marching through Bandung, APRA captured key locations including the TNI’S headquarters and the Siliwangi barracks.[11] Within an hour, APRA had secured the city center and eliminated all resistance.[10]
The majority of the TNI forces were taken by surprise and there were reports of soldiers discarding their uniforms and fleeing.[11] The TNI officers deserted their troops with one colonel seeking refuge in the Dutch barracks.[2] By 11 am, the Legion’s success had forced the Republican commander Colonel Sadikine to negotiate the terms of surrender with Westerling.[5] According to a Dutch eyewitness named Schmidt, Westerling’s troops were welcomed as liberators by the civilian population who gave them food and money.[11]
However, the second phase of the coup d'état collapsed since the majority of the KNIL's commanders cooperated with the Indonesian government and refused to support Westerling’s scheme.[4] A Dutch officer discovered the unloading of ammunition from the Bandung arms depot into trucks and quickly informed Major General Engels who had the convoy intercepted and disarmed.[12] Due to this development, the ammunitions convoy did not arrive in the Republican capital Jakarta at 11pm as planned. Westerling's Legion was unable to launch its scheduled attack at 5 am on January 23. There had been plans to seize the presidential palace, army barracks and to arrest Republican politicians including Sukarno, Hatta, Hamengkubuwono IX and Ali Budiardjo.[13]
Unable to find any ammunition, Westerling was forced to abort his attack by 6 am and to disperse his troops and members of his provisional government into hiding. With the coup atttempt in tatters, Westerling ordered his forces at Bandung to evacuate the city and retreat.[14] By 5 pm, Republican forces under Sadikine had re-established control over Bandung.[15]
The attempted coup d'état terrified the Republican government[16] while increasing public agitation for the dissolution of the federal system.[7] The Republican government attempted to negotiate with Westerling by offering to pay him US$100,000 in exchange for renouncing his revolutionary activities.[17] However, Westerling rejected the offer and escaped to Singapore. Despite attempts by the Indonesian government to extradite him, he lived in exile in the Netherlands until his death in 1987.
By April 5, several key conspirators including Sultan Hamid II had been arrested by the Republican authorities. On April 19, Hamid II confessed to his involvement in the botched Jakarta coup and to planning an abortive second attack on Parliament scheduled for February 15. Due to the presence of RUSI troops, the attack was aborted. The role of the Pasundan government in the coup led to its dissolution by February 10, further undermining the federal structure. By late March 1950, Hamid’s West Kalimantan was one of the four remaining federal states in the United States of Indonesia.[7]
Hamid’s role in the coup led to increased agitation in West Kalimantan for its integration into the Republic of Indonesia. Following a fact-finding mission by the Government Commission, the RUSI House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly by a margin of 50 to one votes to merge West Kalimantan into the Republic of Indonesia.[3] Following clashes with demobilized KNIL troops under Abdul Assiz in Makassar and the attempted secession of an Ambonese Republic of South Moluccas, the federal United States of Indonesia was dissolved on 17 August 1950, turning Indonesia into a unitary state dominated by the central government in Jakarta.[3]