The Oema-periode of 1893–1896 — in Kreemer’s periodisation of the Atjèh-oorlog, the third and last phase of the Zesde tijdvak (sixth period, 1884–1896), named for Teukoe Oema — was the period in which the Atjèhnese resistance, freed from the military pressure of the Dutch offensive and emboldened by the concentration policy, came under the leadership of the ulama and of Teukoe Oema, and in which the Dutch position in Groot-Atjèh reached its lowest ebb.
The ulama ascendancy
Kreemer records that “Met de concentratie begon het tijdperk der oelama’s, die toen de leiders van den oorlog werden; tot dien tijd nog eenigszins op den achtergrond gebleven, hadden zij nu tegenover een geheel onschadelijken, in de geconcentreerde stelling opgesloten vijand de meest gewenschte gelegenheid om zich krachtig te doen gelden. ‘Wij staan niet meer tegen overmacht en dus is er ook geen reden meer om te berusten’ — zóó verkondigden zij aan de bevolking” — “With the concentration began the period of the ulama, who then became the leaders of the war; until that time somewhat in the background, they now had, opposite a wholly harmless enemy locked up in the concentrated position, the most desirable opportunity to make themselves strongly felt. ‘We no longer stand against superior force, and therefore there is no longer any reason to acquiesce’ — so they proclaimed to the population.”
Teungku Tiro
Teungkoe Tirö was, until his death in 1890, the leader par excellence. “Hij vormde een vast leger, ijverig liet hij overal de ha’ sabi d.i. het voor den heiligen krijg bestemde deel der verschuldigde zakat invorderen. Hij liet onze geheele linie omringen door een kring van kleine zooveel mogelijk aan ons oog onttrokken bèntèng’s, zoodat het er veel van had, of hij het was, die ons met kracht van wapenen ingesloten hield. Aan den vijand waren alle voordeelen van het initiatief in de hoogste mate verzekerd, thans was hij het, die offensief kon optreden, terwijl wij ons tot lijdelijke afweer moesten bepalen” — “He formed a standing army; zealously he had the ha’ sabi — that is, the portion of the owed zakat destined for the holy war — collected everywhere. He had our entire line surrounded by a ring of small bentengs, concealed as much as possible from our sight, so that it looked much as if it was he who kept us enclosed by force of arms. To the enemy all the advantages of the initiative were secured in the highest degree; now it was he who could act offensively, while we had to confine ourselves to passive defence.”
The Oema-period
After Teungkoe Tirö’s death in 1890, the resistance continued under Teukoe Oema and the other ulama. Kreemer labels the 1893–1896 phase — the last phase of the sixth period — the Oema-periode, after Teukoe Oema whose prominence dated from his 1884 break with the Dutch (see Nisero affair). The period is characterised by the continued Dutch passivity within the concentrated line, the continued ulama leadership of the resistance, and the progressive moral and material strengthening of the war-party.
Significance
The Oema-periode is, in Kreemer’s narrative, the nadir of Dutch fortunes in the Atjèh war — the point at which the concentration policy had produced all of its worst effects and none of its intended ones. The period ends with the appointment of Van Heutsz as governor in 1896, the adoption of Snouck Hurgronje’s advice to abandon the passive posture and to force submission by offensive action, and the beginning of the Zevende tijdvak (seventh period, 1896–1910) — the period of “krachtige actie en beëindiging van den Atjèh-oorlog” — “forceful action and ending of the Atjèh-oorlog.” The Oema-periode is thus both the lowest point of the Dutch war-effort and the immediate prelude to its final, successful phase.
See Also
- Acheh
- Teukoe Oema
- Teungku Tiro
- Concentration system (1884-1896) — Kreemer’s account
- Aceh War
- Governor Van Heutsz
- C. Snouck Hurgronje
- ulama
- ha’ sabi
- zakat
- benting
- 1893
- 1896
Source
Atjèh. Algemeen samenvattend overzicht van land en volk van Atjèh en onderhoorigheden, door J. Kreemer, Archivaris van het Atjèh Instituut. Eerste Deel. Leiden: N.V. Boekhandel en Drukkerij voorheen E.J. Brill, 1922. Hoofdstuk I, C (“Atjèh-oorlog (1873—1910)”), Zesde tijdvak, blz. 26–35. Citing C. Snouck Hurgronje, De Atjèhers dl. I p. 184 vg.