By: Gerrit van Waardenburg, Queens, New York, US.  1999.

Changing Times
BELITUNG, a paradise island so beautiful and tranquil, surrounded by crystal clear blue waters, pure white quartz sandy beaches and coconut trees. Remotely located southeast of Sumatra, between Singapore and Jakarta. Almost square in shape (ca. 4,500 sq.km.), like a broken wisdom tooth. The longest distance from east to west is about 60 miles in length, with a population around 400,000 (1990’s), and Tanjungpandan as its capital. It was the second largest of the three TIN producing islands after Bangka. The “RING VAN SMARAGD”, too small to be named the “GORDEL”. (See also web pages about Belitung at the end.)

It was early March 1958. This writer had graduated earlier that same year from a three year undergraduate education in mining engineering at Tambang Timah Bangka (previously Bangka Tin Winning). My sincere gratitude to all the Austrian, Dutch, German and Indonesian post-graduates and expatriates, who sacrificed their time to educate us.

As I was sleeping in the company mess at Pangkalpinang, Bangka, about 1 a.m. early in the morning, the phone rang. “Pack up all your belongings and be ready within an hour. A company jeep will pick you up and drive you to Toboali, south east of the island, and then by tugboat crossing the Gaspar Strait to Tanjungpandan, Belitung, Further instructions to follow”, the voice said.  My left arm still in a sling, and a patch covering my left eye from a recent accident, I arrived at sunrise in Toboali. Already three other mining engineers gathered in the company’s mess. After a shower and quick breakfast the four of us departed. Beside some of us got seasick, nothing unusual happened during the crossing of the strait. This group of four, was one of the first few from a total of not more than twenty government employees who were sent to Belitung to replace outgoing Dutch expatriates of more than one hundred professionals. It was conveyed to us, that the mining concession held by the Gemeenschappelijke Mijnbouw Maatschappij Billiton (G.M.B.) would expire shortly, and would not be extended by the Indonesian government. All Dutch expatriates and professionals had to leave within a few weeks and a vacuum of manpower will be created.

Arriving in the evening at Tanjungpandan, I took a quick shower and meal, meanwhile I was instructed by the new appointed Hoofd Administrateur  (H.A.), Ir Max Apitule (ex-GMB, Dutch educated, deceased), to drive that same evening to Manggar, about 50 miles east of Tanjungpandan. Down town Manggar, alongside the river, where the small shops and café’s (warungs), the company’s workshops, dry dock, warehouses, the fleet, transport and laboratories are located. Going up hill, the power station and built around the hill Samak are the houses of the staff employees and professionals, with a road spiraling upwards to the top, where the villa of the Bedrijfchef (B.C.) stand. A very exotic view from the top, looking down at the white painted houses with its manicured green lawns and gardens, Oliepier (fuel storage depot), the white sandy beaches and the blue waters all around you, and not to forget the sunrises and sunsets every day.  First thing the next morning, I was to report to DR. Valk  (GMB Bedrijfchef of district Manggar), and next, to take over the Mijnbouwkundige Dienst and the Chemische Laboratorium within a week. In charge were still three professionals and amicable technocrats, who had to leave. If I were not mistaken, they were Ir. Sterrenburg, Ir, Bloemenwaanders and Drs. Van Stelle. (My special greetings to each one of you.)

This whole experience seems like yesterday to me. It became clear, that the company played a decisive role in the economy of the island and the local government is definitely aware of it.  As a 24-year old greenhorn bachelor, with only one suitcase as my worldly possession, I was not prepared of what the new frontier and future will bring. An apprehensive feeling overcame me. First the understaffed situation. Second, the majority of ethnic Belitung non-staff workers, well organized in a political labor union (S.B.T.I.), who were looking forward to occupy those vacancies left by the Dutch. And third, in the eyes of the non-staff workers, I was considered one of the intruders. If handled incorrectly, the situation at that time could become a political powder keg. In addition, Aidit, a well-known communist leader and close to President Soekarno, was born in Belitung, which gave the labor union a boost of confidence. In such a nationalistic atmosphere, having a Dutch name put an added constraint on me. Life after the expropriation was for this writer an education in itself. Instant huge responsibilities, but well compensated. G.M.B. policies continued to be in effect, including staff and non-staff separate regulations. Living standards for high-ranking staff employees were like royalty, compared to other companies in Indonesia at that time. Great salaries and benefits, with a few months salaries as yearly bonuses. A store with subsidized imported and local necessities provided, managed by Soewarno (ex-GMB). All expenses paid two weeks annual vacation in three available company’s villas at Jalan Setiabudi, the road to Lembang, in Bandung. Also a few months leave after three and six years. In short, everything was provided for by the company, free housing, including utilities, a car and even employees as a housekeeper and a chauffeur.

Warning Signs
The first few years were the most difficult ones. Under staffed situation, a lack of experienced professionals in various fields, not enough foreign currency, which is earned by the company, was plowed back by the government to the company, etc. It was foreseeable that productivity would deteriorate, which actually happened during the first four years. Belt tightening measures were applied, and more hard work was expected. This produces grievances. Added social responsibilities of the company to supply subsidized utilities to the public, and public road maintenance, also drained the company’s resources. After a few years of coping with a downward trend of earnings, the bottom-line was reach, followed by production and productivity increases. But the gap between the staff and non-staff benefits still existed, and would have a profound contribution to the upcoming events.

In the meantime, during the period of 1959 and 1961, the writer was transferred from research work to fieldwork, and consecutively became assistant Bedrijfchef (BC) of Damar, Klapa Kampit, Gantung/Lengang (married), and Manggar.  Also of importance was the Indonesian government decree (P.P.10/1959), which contributed to the departure of around 100,000 ethnic Chinese from Indonesia. In Belitung, also in Bangka and Singkep, the majority experienced non-staff miners were ethnic Chinese, most of them spoke only Chinese. They had emigrated before the war from China, brought to the Tin islands by the Dutch to work in the hydraulic mines, open-cast mine in Pemali, Bangka, lode-mine in Klapa Kampit, Belitung, and bucket or suction dredgers on the three islands. When most of the Chinese mine workers left Belitung, again a vacuum of skilled hard working non-staff workers were created. A new workforce had to be educated and trained. This affected the company’s production, but not for long. Then came the reorganization, where Bangka, Belitung and Singkep were merged, and became P.T.Tambang Timah , with its head office in Jakarta., and with a total of  approximately 29,000 employees (1990).

It was 1965. The writer was assistant BC of Tanjungpandan. Fortunately, the company executives and the local government officials, including the police and the military, were in good terms. This will play a decisive role in the upcoming months. All department heads were required to undergo basic military training. The military organizational structure was imposed on the company, where head of departments became armed officers of its own department, since the police and military had not enough personnel to protect the company’s assets. Even the established company internal armed police force (POLSUS) was not enough. The local military must have sensed that something was brewing, but did not know in which political direction it was going. Our duties were limited to defend the company’s assets and to secure its safety, supported by the Polsus, since the company had to rely on its own.  Sabotage was the main fear, but you never know where it comes from, since the “enemy” is invisible. Two of the many warning experiences by the writer are worth mentioning. The Tanjungpandan district had about 1500 employees.

One morning in early 1965, a rowdy crowd of a few hundred men gathered in front of the BC office, shouting and yelling, some of them holding their tools of trade tightly in their fist. The company district office and its technical support facilities are located in one closed guarded complex.  I was in my office adjacent to the BC office of Frans Uktolseja, I saw him approaching this crowd alone, while the other staff employees and the Polsus looked on. I walk as fast as I could, not to cause panic, to catch up with him, while loudly asking him (in Dutch) to wait for me. Reaching his side, already surrounded by the mob, I suggested to request a delegation of a maximum of 5 men, and to have a meeting in his office. As soon as his last word was uttered, I grabbed his arm and started walking briskly back to his office, while not really knowing what the heck it was all about. Apparently it was a dispute about overtime, and after a few hours of negotiations, the problem was solved. But this open and daring confrontation was out of the ordinary and had never happened before. I sensed that something was brewing. A few months had passed since the above incident.

While I was in my office one morning, I got a phone call from home, asking if I had requested the company’s plumber to check the plumbing of the entire house. Which, by the way, is located about 200 feet from the beach, on a dead end street at Tanjung Pendam bay (see: Belitung.com), in the company’s housing complex of Tanjungpandan. Having not requested a plumber, I called the foreman, but no orders were given. I got worried, and sped home. Too late, the two men had left, and apparently had drew sketches, sort of floor plan of the house, which made me suspicious. What was going on, nobody knows. From that day onwards, day or night, I had my handgun within my reach, and warned my colleges, without knowing if there were enemies, and if so, who they were. This tense situation became more and more apparent, and required a 24-hour daily watch by the Polsus in the morning, and by 25-30 employees taking turns at night till morning and getting a day off the next day. Every time when it was my turn to be in charge, at 1 am. my understanding wife made bubur ayam . This becomes routine, after a gag I pulled during the start of the assignment. One night, at 2 a.m., when usually sleep is overpowering, I did my rounds, caught a few men asleep at their post, and undetected took their rifles. Result? Panic and commotion among the “braves”. Reprimands given the next morning, and I saw relief on their faces. Afterwards nobody get caught anymore, since the bubur ayam did the trick.

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