Kr. Seumpo is a subject named in General Swart, Pacifier of Atjeh (1943) by M. H. du Croo, in connection with the history of Atjeh and the governorship of H. N. A. Swart.
Account in du Croo’s Generaal Swart (1943)
From Gajòlanden
The Gajòweg — the road through heavy mountain terrain to the interior — was built during Swart’s governorship and brought into order for motor traffic; Kr. Seumpo was reached by motorcar along it for the first time in October 1911.
From Bireuën
After respect for the Kompeuni had been restored under Watrin, the protected population turned against the bands: 20 December 1909 brought the end for Pang Aron and 24 December for Tgk. di Atjèh Ma’ Amin, overpowered while foraging in gampong Blang. 1910 was the last “verzetsjaar”: sixty-two opponents killed, thirty-one prisoners and 161 submissions, though five gampong dwellers were still murdered and seven wounded and attacks were made on the Gajòweg then under construction. Swart could report that the valleys of the Beuratjan, the Panté Radja and the Mampréë could be occupied to three hours’ walk into the mountains, some four hundred registered persons settling there with their families and moving about unarmed without molestation. In February 1913 the head of the Lampehan-bendetje reported himself “and Bireuën too was clean”. In July 1913 two Acehnese ran amok at the station, killing two non-commissioned officers. In October 1911 Swart inspected Bireuën and reached Kr. Seumpo for the first time by motorcar along the Gajòweg. A photograph shows Swart before the pasanggrahan at Bireuen in 1910.
From Gajòweg
Lamster recorded that “the Gajò road to the interior, laid out through heavy mountain terrain, was put in order for motor traffic.” Attacks on the road while under construction occurred repeatedly in Bireuën in 1910. In October 1911 Swart inspected Bireuën and Kr. Seumpo, “the last-named place was reached for the first time by car along the Gajò road.” The road opened a closed district, though tea and coffee achieved little there. Photographs in du Croo’s book show Swart travelling along the Gajòweg in 1909, with the builder of the road captain Heinzenknecht beside the lorry, and in 1910 before the pasanggrahan at Bireuen.
See Also
- Gajòlanden
- Bireuën
- Gajòweg
- The resistance in Atjeh 1908–1912
- H. N. A. Swart
- General Swart, Pacifier of Atjeh (1943)
- Atjeh
Source
Generaal Swart, Pacificator van Atjeh (“General Swart, Pacifier of Atjeh”), by M. H. du Croo, Colonel K.N.I.L. (retired), with the collaboration of H. J. Schmidt, Titular Colonel K.N.I.L. (retired), with a foreword by His Excellency Lieutenant-General K.N.I.L. (retired) G. K. Dijkstra (Maastricht: N.V. Leiter-Nypels, 1943), passim.