State of Pasundan

State of Pasundan

The State of Pasundan was a short-lived puppet state established by the Netherlands in the Sundanese-inhabited region of West Java during the Indonesian National Revolution. Its creation in 1948 was a central component of the Dutch federal strategy, known as the United States of Indonesia, designed to undermine the Republic of Indonesia by fostering regional divisions. The state's existence highlights the contentious and often coercive tactics of late colonial power, serving as a case study in the manipulation of ethnicity and local identity to maintain imperial control and delay decolonization.

Historical Context and Establishment

The State of Pasundan was proclaimed on 24 April 1948, in the context of the post-war political turmoil following the end of Japanese occupation. The Netherlands, seeking to reassert control over its former colony, the Dutch East Indies, rejected the sovereignty of the Republic of Indonesia proclaimed by Sukarno and Mohammad Hatta in 1945. Dutch strategy, formulated by figures like Hubertus van Mook, involved creating a series of ostensibly independent regional states within a Dutch-led federation. The Sundanese region, with its distinct cultural and linguistic identity, was targeted for this purpose. The establishment was orchestrated through a committee led by Raden Aria Adipati Wiranatakusumah V, a former regent of Bandung, and was formally endorsed by the Dutch authorities despite lacking broad popular support from the local population.

Political Structure and Administration

The state was structured as a constitutional entity with a parliamentary system. Its government was headed by a Prime Minister, with the first being Adil Puradiredja. The ceremonial head of state was Wiranatakusumah V, who held the title of Wali Negara (State Guardian). The capital was set in Bandung, a major city in West Java. The administration relied heavily on the existing colonial bureaucracy and the traditional aristocratic class (priyayi) who had collaborated with the Dutch. Key institutions included a representative council, but real political power was circumscribed by the oversight of the Dutch High Commissioner, initially Louis Beel. This structure ensured that Pasundan remained subordinate to Dutch economic and military interests, particularly concerning vital resources and infrastructure in the region.

Relationship with the Dutch Colonial Government

The relationship was fundamentally one of puppetry and dependency. The Dutch government provided the financial, military, and diplomatic backing necessary for the State of Pasundan's survival. The Royal Netherlands East Indies Army (KNIL) was responsible for its security, often engaging in police actions against republican forces within its claimed territory. Economically, the state served to facilitate continued Dutch control over plantations, mining operations, and the port of Tanjung Priok. This arrangement was formalized through the Round Table Conference agreements of 1949, which recognized Pasundan as a component state of the United States of Indonesia. However, Dutch support was conditional and aimed primarily at creating a compliant buffer against the expanding influence of the Republic of Indonesia and its military, the Tentara Nasional Indonesia.

Role in the Indonesian National Revolution

The State of Pasundan played a divisive and controversial role in the Indonesian National Revolution. It was actively opposed by republican guerrillas and political groups who saw it as a tool of neocolonialism. The presence of the Pasundan administration and its Dutch military protectors exacerbated local conflicts, leading to violence and social fragmentation. Crucially, the state failed to garner significant support from the Sundanese populace, who largely sympathized with the unitary republican cause led by Sukarno. Key republican military figures like Abdul Haris Nasution operated in the region, undermining the state's authority. The Renville Agreement and subsequent diplomatic maneuvers temporarily recognized federal entities like Pasundan, but they increasingly became untenable as popular sovereignty|Indonesian Revolution] and ther