Purwakarta Chinese riot
| Purwakarta Chinese riot | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||
| Belligerents | |||||
| Chinese rioters | Dutch East Indies | ||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||
| unknown | Sentot Prawirodirdjo | ||||
| Strength | |||||
| >1,000 | 1,300 | ||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||
| c. 800 killed | Light | ||||
The Purwakarta Chinese riot (Indonesian: Kerusuhan Cina Purwakarta) was a riot of Chinese tea plantation workers in Tanjungpura, in Karawang Regency (today in Purwakarta) in May 1832.
Prelude
In the nineteenth century, a large number of Chinese migrants coming through Macao worked at tea plantations in West Java, such as at a plantation at Wanayasa near Purwakarta. The Chinese workers had been dissatisfied with their working conditions, as their pay was frequently deducted or late. Some other Chinese migrants who intended to clear their own land also faced restrictions on the opening of new farmland. At the same time, the colonial government had been preparing new government buildings at the town of Purwakarta, which was slated to become the new capital of the Karawang Regency.[1]
Riots
After planning in secret, a large group of Chinese plantation workers started to riot on the evening of 8 May 1832, where they burned down a tea plantation company's buildings before marching towards the newly constructed government buildings in Purwakarta. The bupati (local native ruler) of Karawang, Raden Adipati Suriawinata, was forced to flee Karawang, along with the Dutch resident and the town's European population. In response, Dutch colonial authorities sent troops from neighboring areas such as Cianjur, Sumedang, and Bandung. The rioting and fighting in Purwakarta lasted until 9 May.[1][2]
A further 1,000 soldiers was dispatched from Batavia to quell the riot, led by former Java War rebel commander Sentot Prawirodirdjo. The force encountered a rebel group after crossing the Citarum River. In an ensuing engagement, 600 rioters were reported killed by Sentot's force,[3] with their heads later sent to Batavia.[4] Another Dutch column approaching Purwakarta from the north also defeated a group of 400 to 500 rebels, killing around 200.[2] Some surviving Chinese fled to the village of Wanayasa, which was populated by fellow migrant workers.[1] Purwakarta was soon reoccupied by around 1,000 colonial troops.[4]
Aftermath
Among the dead were German naturalist Heinrich Christian Macklot, who was injured by the rioters early during the fighting and died on 12 May.[1] A village in Karawang, Rancadarah (Sundanese for "Blood Marsh"), was named due to the large number of dead rioters at its site.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d e "Rancadarah, Saksi Pertempuran Kelompok China Makao Melawan Belanda". SINDOnews Daerah (in Indonesian). 7 April 2018. Retrieved 21 May 2025.
- ^ a b Matanasi, Petrik (10 March 2025). "Jasa Pasukan Sentot dalam Padamkan Kerusuhan Tionghoa di Karawang". Historia.ID (in Indonesian). Retrieved 18 January 2026.
- ^ "Alibasah Sentot Prawirodirdjo (Panglima Perang Diponegoro) Berjasa Pada Karawang dan Purwakarta" (in Indonesian). Purwakarta Regency Government. 23 October 2024. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
- ^ a b Wawacan Carita Perang Cina di Tanjungpura Kabupaten Purwakarta (PDF) (in Indonesian). Jakarta: Ministry of Education and Culture. 2000. pp. 10–17.