Kolaka incident

Ambush of a Dutch military convoy (1945)

Kolaka incident

Part of the Indonesian National Revolution
| Date| 19 November 1945

|

Location|

near Kolaka, Southeast Sulawesi

Result|

* Indonesian victory

* Successful ambush

Belligerents
Indonesia|  Netherlands
Japan
Strength
1,000 militias|  Small number of NICA
1 Japanese platoon
Casualties and losses
1 killed
1 injured|  2 killed
2 captured

* v
* t
* e

Indonesian National Revolution

1945

* Bersiap
* Maguwo
* Kotabaru
* Semarang
* Bekasi
* Padang
* Medan
* Ambarawa
* Bojong Kokosan
* Surabaya
* Kolaka
* Cumbok
* Borneo
* West Kalimantan
* Kumai

1946

* Lengkong
* East Sumatra
* Bandung
* Bali Strait
* 3 July
* Margarana
* South Sulawesi

1947–1948

* Palembang
* 3 March
* Product
* Rawagede
* Mergosono
* Karangresik
* Bondowoso
* Madiun
* Kraai
* Rengat

1949

* Ciseupan
* Yogyakarta and Surakarta
* Yogyakarta
* Surakarta

Post-RTC

* APRA coup d'état
* Makassar
* Ambon

The Kolaka incident, known locally as the 19 November incident (Peristiwa 19 November), was an ambush of a Dutch military convoy near Kolaka, Southeast Sulawesi on 19 November 1945, during the early months of the Indonesian National Revolution.

## Background

[edit]

One month after the proclamation of Indonesian independence on 17 August 1945, a group of nationalists in Kolaka declared that the region was Indonesian and formed a local militia. By October 1945, the militia had expanded to other parts in Southeast Sulawesi, including to Kendari, but the following month as Allied (mostly Australian) forces under NICA arrived in Kendari, they restored Dutch control.[1] However, the Dutch control over Southeast Sulawesi (partly enforced by Japanese troops still in the area) was tenuous, and in an attempt to improve the situation there the KNIL forces initially intended to be stationed in the Palopo area was diverted to Kendari.[2] The nationalist militia in Kolaka was led by a group of former KNIL soldiers who were assigned by Japan to work on the nickel mines in Kolaka. Kolaka's Japanese garrison attempted to dispose of their weapons by throwing them into the sea to prevent the nationalists from seizing them, but the militia managed to recover the weapons.[3]

## Incident

[edit]

On 19 November, some 1,000 militia members (partly armed with melee weapons) were deployed to the road leading to Pomaala, where the nickel mines were based. NICA had sent a small convoy to the village in order to pick up the former KNIL members, despite protestations from the nationalists in Kolaka.[4]

The convoy, accompanied by one platoon of Japanese soldiers, were ambushed upon their return from Pomaala. The Japanese platoon quickly surrendered while the small number of NICA soldiers were quickly dispersed, with 2 killed and 2 captured alongside their vehicles and equipment. The nationalists suffered one death and one injury in the ambush.[5]

## Aftermath

[edit]

Shortly after the incident, the casualties and prisoners were recovered by Australian forces in Kendari after brief negotiations, though the militia retained the equipment they had seized from the Japanese garrison.[6] Kolaka itself was captured by NICA forces following a brief fight on 5 February 1946, though the militia withdrew to the countryside, and the nationalist guerilla movement was not largely pacified by the Dutch until 1948.[7]

### Legacy

[edit]

While the incident was of a much smaller scale compared to, say, the Battle of Surabaya which started nine days before the ambush, the incident has found its way into the names of various entities in Kolaka, including an urban community and a university in Kolaka.[8] A monument in Kolaka commemorates the incident.[9]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Chalik et al. 1983, pp. 61–63.
2. ^ van der Wal, S.L.; Drooglever, P.J.; Schouten, M.J.B. (1971). Officiële Bescheiden betreffende de Nederlands-Indonesische Betrekkingen 1945-1950 Deel 2, 9 november - 31 december 1945 [Official Documents concerning the Netherlands-Indonesian Relations 1945-1950; Part 2, 9 November - 31 December 1945] (in Dutch). Nijhoff. pp. 223–224.223-224&rft.pub=Nijhoff&rft.date=1971&rft.aulast=van+der+Wal&rft.aufirst=S.L.&rft.au=Drooglever,+P.J.&rft.au=Schouten,+M.J.B.&rft_id=http://resources.huygens.knaw.nl/retroboeken/nib/#page=241&accessor;=toc&source;=2&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Kolaka+incident" class="Z3988">
3. ^ Chalik et al. 1983, pp. 105–108.
4. ^ Chalik et al. 1983, pp. 111–112.
5. ^ Chalik et al. 1983, pp. 113–114.
6. ^ Chalik et al. 1983, pp. 115–119.
7. ^ Chalik et al. 1983, pp. 120–134.
8. ^ "19 November, Hari Bersejarah Kolaka". Kolaka Pos (in Indonesian). 19 November 2016. Archived from the original on 11 September 2019. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
9. ^ "Dalam Rangka Memperingati Peristiwa Sejarah 19 November 1945, Kolaka Gelar Napaktilas". Koran Sultra (in Indonesian). 18 November 2016. Retrieved 14 April 2020.

## Bibliography

[edit]

* Chalik, Husein A.; Mekno, A. Djohan; Galib, Abd.; Lasang, Nio (1983). Sejarah perlawanan terhadap Imperialisme dan Kolonialisme di daerah Sulawesi Tenggara [History of the struggle against Imperialism and Colonialism in Southeast Sulawesi] (PDF) (in Indonesian). Jakarta: Ministry of Education and Culture.

* v
* t
* e

Indonesian National Revolution

Prelude|

* Dutch East Indies
* Indonesian National Awakening
* Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies
* Proclamation of Independence

Diplomatic efforts|

* Malino Conference
* Linggadjati Agreement
* Denpasar Conference
* United Nations Security Council Resolution 27
* Renville Agreement
* Roem–Van Roijen Agreement
* Dutch–Indonesian Round Table Conference

Armed conflict|

* Indonesian National Armed Forces
* Royal Netherlands Army
* Royal Netherlands East Indies Army
* Darul Islam
* Kalimantan Physical Revolution
* Dayak Desa War
* Battle of Kumai
* Bersiap
* Battle of Kotabaru
* Battle of Medan
* Battle of Semarang
* Battle of Ambarawa
* Battle of Surabaya
* Kolaka incident
* Cumbok affair
* Lengkong incident
* East Sumatra revolution
* Bandung Sea of Fire
* Battle of Margarana
* South Sulawesi campaign
* 3 March affair
* Dutch police actions
* Operation Product
* Operation Kraai
* Madiun Affair
* Yogyakarta and Surakarta Offensive
* General Offensive of 1 March 1949
* Siege of Surakarta

Key figures|

* Abdul Haris Nasution
* Hubertus van Mook
* Mohammad Hatta
* Raymond Westerling
* Simon Spoor
* Sudirman
* Sukarno
* Sutan Sjahrir
* Sutomo
* Tan Malaka

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