M. T. Haryono
Encyclopedia
Indonesian Army
The Indonesian Army , the land component of the Indonesian Armed Forces, has an estimated strength of 328,517 regular personnel. The force's history began in 1945 when the Tentara Keamanan Rakyat "Civil Security Forces" served as paramilitary and police.Since the nation's independence struggle,...
who was killed during an attempt to kidnap him from his home by members of the 30 September Movement
30 September Movement
The Thirtieth of September Movement ) was a self-proclaimed organization of Indonesian National Armed Forces members who, in the early hours of 1 October 1965, assassinated six Indonesian Army generals in an abortive coup d'état. Later that morning, the organization declared that it was in control...
in the early hours of October 1, 1965.
Early life
Harjono was born in Indonesia's second city, SurabayaSurabaya
Surabaya is Indonesia's second-largest city with a population of over 2.7 million , and the capital of the province of East Java...
, East Java
East Java
East Java is a province of Indonesia. It is located on the eastern part of the island of Java and includes neighboring Madura and islands to its east and to its north East Java is a province of Indonesia. It is located on the eastern part of the island of Java and includes neighboring Madura and...
. He was fortunate enough to obtain a standard of education denied to most of his peers, attending an elementary school for European children and then high school in Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
-occupied Indonesia. When the Japanese invaded
Japanese Occupation of Indonesia
The Japanese Empire occupied Indonesia, known then as the Dutch East Indies, during World War II from March 1942 until after the end of War in 1945...
, he was sent to a Japanese medical school in Jakarta
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
, but did not graduate.
Career with the Indonesian military
Haryono was in Jakarta when Indonesia declared independenceIndonesian Declaration of Independence
The Proclamation of Indonesian Independence was read at 10.00 a.m. on Friday, August 17, 1945. The declaration marked the start of the diplomatic and armed-resistance of the Indonesian National Revolution, fighting against the forces of the Netherlands until the latter officially acknowledged...
. Like many Indonesian youths, Haryono joined other youths to fight the Dutch
Indonesian National Revolution
The Indonesian National Revolution or Indonesian War of Independence was an armed conflict and diplomatic struggle between Indonesia and the Dutch Empire, and an internal social revolution...
, then joined the TKR, the forerunner of the Indonesian Army
Indonesian Army
The Indonesian Army , the land component of the Indonesian Armed Forces, has an estimated strength of 328,517 regular personnel. The force's history began in 1945 when the Tentara Keamanan Rakyat "Civil Security Forces" served as paramilitary and police.Since the nation's independence struggle,...
. Due to his superior education, he was made a major. His command of Dutch
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
, English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
meant he was in demand during negotiations between Indonesia and the colonial forces. On September 1, 1945, he was appointed head of the communications office in Jakarta. In 1946, he was made secretary to the Indonesian delegation in the negotiations with the Dutch and the British
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
. In November 1949, he also served as the secretary of the disarming section of the defense commission at the Dutch-Indonesian Round Table Conference
Dutch-Indonesian Round Table Conference
The Dutch–Indonesian Round Table Conference was held in the Hague from August 23 - November 2, 1949, between representatives of the Netherlands, the Republic of Indonesia and the BFO representing various states the Dutch had created in the Indonesian archipelago...
, at which the Dutch agreed to transfer sovereignty to Indonesia. He returned to the Netherlands in July 1950 as military attaché to the Indonesian embassy in the Hague, then on his return to Indonesia in October 1954, he joined the Army General Staff as Army Quartermaster. From August 1962 to 1964 he was Army Inspector general, and in 1963 was also appointed head of the Strategic Materials Section of the Supreme Operational Command (KOTI). His final position, which he took up on July 1, 1964, was third deputy to Army chief of staff Lieutenant General Ahmad Yani
Ahmad Yani
General Ahmad Yani was the commander of the Indonesian Army, and was killed by members of the 30 September Movement during an attempt to kidnap him from his house.-Early life:...
.
Death
In the early hours of 1 October 1965, members of the Tjakrabirawa, calling themselves the 30 September Movement30 September Movement
The Thirtieth of September Movement ) was a self-proclaimed organization of Indonesian National Armed Forces members who, in the early hours of 1 October 1965, assassinated six Indonesian Army generals in an abortive coup d'état. Later that morning, the organization declared that it was in control...
, broke into Haryono's home at Jalan Prambanan No. 8. His wife was woken by the group of men who told her that the general had been summoned by President Sukarno
Sukarno
Sukarno, born Kusno Sosrodihardjo was the first President of Indonesia.Sukarno was the leader of his country's struggle for independence from the Netherlands and was Indonesia's first President from 1945 to 1967...
. Mrs Haryono returned to the bedroom locking the door behind her and told her husband what was happening. She told him not to go and to tell the guards to return at 8 am. However, Haryono was suspicious and switched off the lights telling his wife to move with their children to an adjoining room. The Tjakrabirawa then fired shots through the locked bedroom door and Haryono jumped to the floor. Hiding he waited for the first of the attackers who walked into the bedroom carrying a burning newspaper for light. Haryono tried to seize the soldier's gun, but failed and ran out of the door in confusion. He was shot down by a burst from a Sten gun, dragged through the garden, and his body thrown into one of the waiting trucks. His body was put in a truck and taken to Lubang Buaya
Lubang Buaya
Lubang Buaya is the site of the murder of seven army officers during the 1 October coup attempt of the 30 September Movement...
, the rebel's base on the southern outskirts of Jakarta. There it was dropped into a disused well along with the bodies of the other murdered generals.
All the bodies were recovered on October 4 and the generals were given a state funeral. Haryono was buried with his colleagues at the Heroes Cemetery in Kalibata on 5 October. The same day, by order of President Sukarno, he was posthumously promoted and made a Hero of the Revolution.