Alex Kawilarang: Fighting Injustice, Not the Republic

Jakarta - Corporal Satibi was on high alert. He had just received a report from locals about two Dutch soldiers heading their way. He and his squad quickly took up strategic positions, ready for an ambush. They were stunned, however, when one of the approaching men in khaki shouted, “Hey, what’s wrong with you? It’s me, Kawilarang, your TNI commander!”

Alexander Evert Kawilarang, known as Alex, was a figure whose appearance often defied expectations. A former cadet at the Royal Military Academy in Breda, his tall stature and Caucasian features meant he was frequently mistaken for the enemy during the guerrilla war against the Dutch. This physical attribute, however, became a natural camouflage, allowing him to infiltrate enemy lines on reconnaissance missions in West Java.

Kawilarang’s military career was foundational to the Indonesian Army. In 1952, he was instrumental in realising the vision of his fallen comrade, Lieutenant Colonel Slamet Riyadi, by establishing the Kesatuan Komando Teritorium III. This elite unit, designed to be a rapid reaction force capable of striking in any terrain, was the precursor to the modern Kopassus, the army’s feared red beret corps.

Yet, in a dramatic twist of fate, Kawilarang would later find himself facing the very special forces he had created. Despite a comfortable posting as a military attaché in the United States, he resigned in March 1958 to join the Permesta movement. The rebellion, proclaimed by Ventje Sumual, was not a fight against the Republic but a protest against Jakarta’s centralised policies, demanding greater regional autonomy and welfare. Kawilarang’s decision was a stand against perceived injustice, not a betrayal of the nation he helped build.