Jakarta - Corporal Satibi was on high alert. He had just received a\nreport from locals about two Dutch soldiers heading their way. He and\nhis squad quickly took up strategic positions, ready for an ambush. They\nwere stunned, however, when one of the approaching men in khaki shouted,\n\u201cHey, what\u2019s wrong with you? It\u2019s me, Kawilarang, your TNI\ncommander!\u201d<\/p>\n
Alexander Evert Kawilarang, known as Alex, was a figure whose\nappearance often defied expectations. A former cadet at the Royal\nMilitary Academy in Breda, his tall stature and Caucasian features meant\nhe was frequently mistaken for the enemy during the guerrilla war\nagainst the Dutch. This physical attribute, however, became a natural\ncamouflage, allowing him to infiltrate enemy lines on reconnaissance\nmissions in West Java.<\/p>\n
Kawilarang\u2019s military career was foundational to the Indonesian Army.\nIn 1952, he was instrumental in realising the vision of his fallen\ncomrade, Lieutenant Colonel Slamet Riyadi, by establishing the Kesatuan\nKomando Teritorium III. This elite unit, designed to be a rapid reaction\nforce capable of striking in any terrain, was the precursor to the\nmodern Kopassus, the army\u2019s feared red beret corps.<\/p>\n
Yet, in a dramatic twist of fate, Kawilarang would later find himself\nfacing the very special forces he had created. Despite a comfortable\nposting as a military attach\u00e9 in the United States, he resigned in March\n1958 to join the Permesta movement. The rebellion, proclaimed by Ventje\nSumual, was not a fight against the Republic but a protest against\nJakarta\u2019s centralised policies, demanding greater regional autonomy and\nwelfare. Kawilarang\u2019s decision was a stand against perceived injustice,\nnot a betrayal of the nation he helped build.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/alex-kawilarang-fighting-injustice-not-the-republic-1786330351", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }