Operation Tegas
| Operation Tegas | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Permesta-PRRI Rebellion | |||||||||
The Indonesian strategy map during the rebellions | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||||
| Indonesia | Revolutionary Government of the Republic of Indonesia | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
|
Lt. Col. Kaharuddin Nasution Lt. Col. Wiriadinata Maj. Indra Subagio | Col. Ahmad Husein | ||||||||
| Units involved | |||||||||
| Indonesian National Armed Forces | Unknown | ||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
| Thousands of paratroopers | Hundreds | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
| Unknown |
Entire forces surrendered Many of the PRRI weapons captured | ||||||||
Operation Tegas (lit. 'Resolute'; Indonesian: Operasi Tegas) was a military operation launched by the Indonesian National Armed Forces during the PRRI rebellion to secure Riau as the oil places with crucial role for the government economy in Sumatra, and cleared the Riau Islands from the rest of the PRRI members who want to escaped via Malaysia and Singapore. The operation ended with the Indonesian government victory for crackdown and suppressed the PRRI activities in Riau and Riau Islands.
Background
In the early of PRRI rebellions the Indonesian government engaging the PRRI opposition and protest movements, PRRI involved and supported by many of the Indonesian colonel officers during the opposition movement such as Ahmad Husein, Maludin Simbolon, and Barlin. This movement sponsored by USA the American promised the aid of weapons to support the movement for overthrown the Soekarno regime. Due to suppressed the rebellions government army launched an operations codenamed Tegas, literally means "resolute". Abdul Haris Nasution said "The operations focus on the oil rich places on Riau and secured Riau Islands for the rest of PRRI troops who wanted flee to Malaysia and Singapore.Their second targets are the aid of military from USA.[1][2]
The government military forces formed an composite commandos of Operation Tegas :
- Commando: Lieutenant colonel Kaharuddin Nasution
- Vice commando I : Lieutenant colonel Wiriadinata
- Vice commando II : Major Indra Subagio
- Commando "Dongkrak' :Major Sukartiyo
- Commando "Kangguru" : Lieutenant colonel Wiriadinata
- Commando "Kalajengking" : Major Sukartiyo
- Commando "Kancil' : Major Indra Subagio
- Commando "X-ray" : First lieutenant Sukari
- Commando "Kuat" : Major Ciptono[3]
The commando decided for the deadline of this operations will be on 12 March 1958, few days before the deadline day the Indonesian forces infiltrated and landing at Bengkalis Regency the forces then assaulted the rebels forces who still on the regency, the government forces able to seized all of the rebels aid weapon and they pressured the rebels forces to retreated,the rest of rebels forces decided to escaped or running through inner territories because they cannot countered the attacks and the government forces were strong.[3]
Operations
On 5 A,M in the North Sumatra Commando Kangguru started their movement during the operation by sending several Douglas C-47 Skytrain with objective to landing at Simpang Tiga Airfield. In 7.30 A.M the troops from Kopasgat units are deployed on the Simpangtiga Airfield. In the half of day Pekanbaru Airfield and many of port who closed to Pekanbaru captured by the Indonesian forces,after Pekanbaru Airfield was captured by government forces on Tanjungpinang Commando Kuat dispatched to strengthen Commando X-ray focusing to liberated the cities or town in Riau. On 2 P.M the government forces already able to entered Pekanbaru.The assault actions near Pekanbaru was not faced many difficulties because there was no resistance of PRRI forces during the operation and the government forces countered PRRI attack's in all wave.[4]
The paratroopers actions on Pekanbaru providing the government victories in operations by seized the military aid from American used by the PRRI forces to supported their movements, after the actions in Pekanbaru Commando Dongkrak moving towards the target by splitting their forces into the small scale company with the support of Commando Kancil and Commando Kalajengkung. On 12 March the commando kalajengking moved through Dumai and they penetrated to Duri and Rumbai,meanwhile commando kancil already reached Pakning river and liberating Siak Regency from rebels hand. The rebels responded this liberation actions by launching attacks to government positions but repelled by the government forces .[5]
The pursuit of rebel forces carried out by RPKAD forces on the Western Bangkinang and ahead of southern Lipat Kain,the forces of Overste pejo successful to liberate Bagansiapiapi, This forces also placing the previous trap and attack for ambushed the one units or company of rebels forces during the liberations,after ambushed the rebels forces they government forces captured the entire forces and confiscate their weapon aid including bazooka. On the 22 March 1958 the airfield on Japura and Airmolek was liberated by government forces disabled the PRRI activities, and in next day Rengat and Tembilahpun also liberated.[6]
Aftermath
The operation Tegas give an significantly contributions for suppressed the PRRI movements in Riau and Riau Islands, the government forces succeeded to seized the military aid from USA in Pekanbaru Airfield and liberated the airfield including the airfield in airmolek and Japura. This operation played an crucial roles to secured many of the rest of rebels troops to retreated onto Malaysia and Singapore and also crackdown and recaptured Riau and Riau Islands, The operation transitioned to Operation Sadar (Intelligence operations near South Sumatra) and Operation 17 Agustus (major operations near West Sumatra).[7]
References
- ^ Martin, Sitompul (2018-05-27). "Operasi Bersama Gempur Sumatera". Historia.id (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2025-04-01.
- ^ Abdul Haris, Nasution (1984). DR.A.H.Nasution Memenuhi Panggilan Tugas Jilid 4: Masa Pancaroba Kedua (in Indonesian). PT.Karya Unipress.
- ^ a b Mulyono 1979, p. 38.
- ^ Mulyono 1979, p. 39.
- ^ Hendro 1972, p. 255.
- ^ Widya Lestari, Ningsih (2021-08-12). "Penumpasan Pemberontakan PRRI". kompas.id (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2025-04-02.
- ^ Martinus, Danang (2020-10-12). "Operasi Penumpasan Gerakan Separatis: PRRI/Permesta". kompaspedia.com (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2025-04-02.
Bibliography
- Mulyono, Subianto (1979). Sejarah TNI-AD, 1945-1973: Peranan TNI-AD dalam mempertahankan negara kesatuan Republik Indonesia (in Indonesian). Dinas Sejarah Militer tentara nasional Indonesia Angkatan Darat.
- Hendro, Slamet (1972). Cuplikan sejarah perjuangan TNI-Angkatan Darat (in Indonesian). Dinas Sejarah Militer tentara nasional Indonesia Angkatan Darat.