Sutan Barus was an Indonesian official who served as inspector-general of enterprises (insp.-generaal van de ondernemingen) in Atjeh during the early 1950s. In February 1950, he accompanied the second survey party (survey-party) of some twenty planters who travelled by jeep via P. Brandan to Langsar Estate to assess the condition of plantation enterprises in Atjeh following the Dutch-Indonesian hostilities.
Role in the Atjeh survey parties (February 1950)
The survey parties were dispatched following the decisions of an initial local arbitral commission for labour disputes and a corresponding central commission (respectively designated P4D and P4P). During discussions between representatives of the Entrepreneurs’ Association for Indonesia (Ondernemersbond voor Indonesië) on 9 and 10 December 1949 at Kotaradja, it was resolved to send survey parties to assess the situation of the enterprises in Atjeh.
Sutan Barus accompanied the second group, which travelled to Langsar, along with his secretary G. Kars Gultom and N. W. L. Stofkoper, advisor for agricultural enterprises to His Excellency (E.Z.). The first group had flown from Medan to Kotaradja on 2 February 1950, comprising seven planters from the Société Financière des Caoutchoucs, the Netherlands Trading Company (Ned. Handel Mij.), and the State Agricultural Enterprises (Landslandbouwbedrijven), accompanied by Rasjid Siregar, commissioner of the Sarbupri.
Source
Oostkust van Sumatra-Instituut Mededeling No. 37: Deli-Figuren uit de jaren 1950 t/m 1952, compiled by Ir. F. J. J. Dootjes (Amsterdam, 1953).