Van Swieten’s Instructie was the formal set of instructions issued to Lieutenant-General Van Swieten upon his appointment as civil Government Commissioner and military Supreme Commander of the Second Expedition. Signed by the first Government Secretary Stortenbeker and based on the decisions of the Governor-General Loudon and the Council of the Indies, the instruction defined the political and military objectives of the expedition and established the framework within which Van Swieten was to operate. Its central provision was that if the Sultan submitted, a treaty should be concluded on the model of the Siak treaty of 1858; if the Sultan refused, he should be declared deposed and a successor appointed.
Key Articles
Article 1: The Government Commissioner and Supreme Commander was given authority over all political and military affairs directly or indirectly relating to the realm of Atjeh and its subordinate territories.
Article 2: When the Sultan of Atjeh submitted before the power of the Dutch arms, the Government Commissioner would conclude with him, by authority of and subject to the approval of the Governor-General, an agreement on the foundations of the contract concluded on 21 February 1858 with the realm of Siak Sri Indrapoera. Special efforts should be made toward: durable assurance of the influence of the Dutch Overlordship; a well-regulated and, by written declaration, as far as possible delineated relationship of the Sultan to his subordinate territories; guarantees against oppression in general; the right and opportunity for durable settlement and occupation, with stipulation of cession of ground needed for establishments, erection of fortifications, and posting of officials guarded by sufficient force; and everything that could completely ensure the proper execution of the arrangement made.
Article 3: When, notwithstanding the triumph of the Dutch arms, the Sultan remained absolutely unwilling to conclude the desired agreement, the Government Commissioner would declare him deposed from his dignity and, after consulting the national institutions, appoint another Sultan or provide for the governance of the realm in such manner as, in connection with the instructions of the Home Government, the circumstances required.
Article 4: The Commissioner would communicate his plans and intentions to the second-in-command and the chief of staff, so that the second-in-command could assume the direction of political affairs and command of the expedition at any time, in case of illness, hindrance, or absence of the Commissioner, without disruption of the nature and course of operations.
Article 5: The Commissioner would submit reports at every suitable opportunity. His telegraphic and ordinary reports went directly to the Governor-General, and military reports also to the Commander of the Army.
Article 6: In everything relating to the execution of his mission, the Commissioner had ample authority not specifically covered by the instruction, and all authorities coming into contact with him owed him strong cooperation and strict obedience.
Significance
The instruction established the Siak treaty as the model for the political settlement — a treaty that provided for Dutch sovereignty while preserving the internal self-governance of the native ruler. This model, which had worked (in the Dutch view) in Siak, was to be applied to Atjeh. The instruction also made clear that the Dutch objective was not direct administration but indirect sovereignty through the existing Acehnese political structure.
Van Swieten followed the instruction faithfully up to the capture of the Kraton. When the Sultan fled and no treaty could be concluded, Article 3 was activated — but instead of appointing a successor Sultan, Van Swieten issued his proclamation of annexation, declaring Groot-Atjeh to belong to the Netherlands-Indian Government by right of conquest. This went beyond the original instruction, which had contemplated the maintenance of the integrity of the realm under a Sultan.
See Also
- Jan Swieten
- Second Aceh Expedition (1873-1874)
- Treaty of 30 March 1857 with the Sultan of Atjeh
- Siak Sultanate
- Van Swieten’s Proclamation of 31 January 1874
- Groot-Atjeh
- Aceh War
Source
De waarheid over onze vestiging in Atjeh, door den Luitenant-Generaal J. van Swieten, Zalt-Bommel, Joh. Noman en Zoon, [1879], Bijlage I, pp. 476–477.