Kuto Besak fortress assailed by modernization<\/p>\n
Bambang Budi Utomo, Contributor, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Almost two centuries ago, the Kuto Besak fortress in Palembang,
\nSouth Sumatra, witnessed one of the region's greatest victories
\nagainst conquering Dutch forces.<\/p>\n
Today it is the scene of another kind of battle -- history
\npitted against modernization.<\/p>\n
For the moment, it would seem that history has the upper hand
\nas plans for the construction of a shopping plaza in the area of
\nthe 18th century fortress were suspended by the South Sumatra
\ngovernor.<\/p>\n
But for how long? For despite countless calls for its
\nconservation, the Kuto Besak fortress -- which now houses the
\nmedical facilities of the Sriwijaya Military Command -- remains
\nmissing from the government's cultural heritage list for
\npreservation, and is only protected by a regional decree.<\/p>\n
If it was on the heritage list, the Kuto Besak fortress
\ntogether with its surrounding area would have the protection of
\nArticle 26 of the 1992 law concerning cultural items, which
\nstipulates that:<\/p>\n
\"Whosoever intentionally damages or destroys items of cultural
\nproperty or sites, or the immediate surroundings in which such
\nproperty is located, or brings, moves, takes away or changes the
\nshape, form and\/or color, restores or dismantles parts of items
\nof cultural property or valuable items without the permission of
\nthe Government ... shall be sentenced to a maximum of 10 years in
\nprison and\/or a maximum fine of Rp 100 million.\"<\/p>\n
But this has been exactly the lot for many of the country's
\nhistorical sites, forced to make way for development,
\nmodernization and commercialism. Can we afford to tear down any
\nmore of our heritage and national pride?<\/p>\n
The history of the struggle against the Dutch in the South
\nSumatran kingdom of Palembang is a long one. Its strategic
\npositioning on one of the world's busiest shipping routes of the
\ntime caused the Dutch East-Indies Company (VOC) to consider the
\nindependent kingdom a threat to its trade routes to and from
\nAsia.<\/p>\n
The kingdom's hold on important trade commodities such as tin
\nand pepper was also a major lure for the Dutch company.<\/p>\n
In 1659 the Dutch bombarded the Palembang kingdom -- which had
\nstood since the mid-15th century -- and reduced its capital to
\nrubble. However, the next year the Palembang-Darussalam sultanate
\nwas established on the ashes of the old kingdom by Sultan
\nAbdurrahman (1660-1706).<\/p>\n
After moving about for some time, the capital of the new
\nsultanate was moved to Kuto Besak, and in 1780 the Kuto Besak
\nfortress was built on the north shore of the Musi River, about
\n100 meters west of the old Kuto Batu palace.<\/p>\n
The construction of the fortress was reportedly financed
\nprivately by the reigning sultan -- at the time Sultan Muhammad
\nBahauddin (1776-1803) -- and in 1797 Kuto Besak fortress was
\nofficially in use.<\/p>\n
Anticipating further aggression by the Dutch, a defensive
\nsystem of fortresses was devised, and the Kuto Besak fortress was
\nsupported by the Muntok fortress in Bangka, the Kurungan Nyawa
\nfortress located upstream on the Komering River, the Martapura
\nfortress, the Tambakbaya fortress and a fortress on the island of
\nKembaro (a small island in the Musi River near Palembang). Each
\nfortress was used to repel attacks by enemies both from the river
\nand from the land.<\/p>\n
The thick walls of the Kuto Besak fortress itself were
\nstrengthened by bastions on each of its four corners. It used to
\nhouse the sultan's living quarters, called the dalem or rumah
\nsirah, as well as the pemarekan or open-air pavilion, the
\nkeputren where the women of the palace lived, the segaran or
\npool, gardens, and the nudan, which was an internal \"town
\nsquare\".<\/p>\n
Outside the fortress walls, on the east side, was a building
\nwhere the sultan gave audiences, and a pemarekan where guests
\nwaited their turn for an audience.<\/p>\n
A European visitor to the palace, William Marsden, described
\nthe palace in his book History of Sumatra, based on his visit
\nthere in the 18th century. He wrote:<\/p>\n
\"The dalam or palace being surrounded by a high wall, nothing
\nis known to Europeans of the interior, but it appears to be
\nlarge, lofty, and much ornamented on the outside.\"<\/p>\n
\"Immediately adjoining to this wall, on the lower side, is a
\nstrong, square, roofed battery, commanding the river, and below
\nit another; on both of which many heavy cannons are mounted, and
\nfired on particular occasions.\"<\/p>\n
\"In the interval between the two batteries is seen the meidan
\nor plain, at the extremity of which appears the balerong or hall
\nwhere the sultan gives audience in public. This is an ordinary
\nbuilding, and serving occasionally for a warehouse, but
\nornamented with weapons arranged along the walls.\"<\/p>\n
\"The royal mosque stands behind the palace, and from the style
\nof architecture seems to have been constructed by an European. It
\nis an oblong building, with glazed windows, pilasters, and a
\ncupola\".<\/p>\n
During the reign of Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II (1803-1821)
\nthe fortress proved its worth when it endured bombardment in 1819
\nby the Dutch forces lead by Muntinghe. Together with the help of
\nsupporting fortresses, the Dutch were held in check.<\/p>\n
It was not until 1821 that the fortress finally succumbed to
\nthe attacks. The war later became known as the Menteng War, a
\nmisnomer for the Dutch general.<\/p>\n
In 1825 the line of succession in Palembang ended, and the
\nDutch finally instituted direct rule over the rich area.<\/p>\n
In 1930, the Sriwijaya Military Command incorporated the Kuto
\nBesak fortress to house its medical facilities.<\/p>\n
Today only the north, west and south walls of the fortress
\nremain intact, while the east wall was torn down to build the Dr.
\nA.K. Gani Military Hospital.<\/p>\n
Underfinanced, poorly maintained and with no one to care for
\nits future, the Kuto Besak site may well soon remain only as
\npictures in history books.<\/p>\n
* The writer is a researcher at the Archaeological Research
\nCenter.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/kuto-besak-fortress-assailed-by-modernization-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}