Herman Nicolas 'Ventje' Samual:
The Man Behind the Permesta Rebellion
COMING from a village in Minahasa, North Sulawesi, Ventje wrote an important chapter for the land of his ancestors. March, 51 years ago, he read the Permesta. This declaration contained some important petitions to Jakarta: a comprehensive regional autonomy and the wiping out of centralistic government. Starting with the declaration, the Permesta transcended into the Revolutionary Government of the Republic of Indonesia (PRRI) after Jakarta responded to the demands with guns. Sumatra and Sulawesi revolted. The rebellion was intermingled with the controversy of American intelligence involvement. But Ventje has his own version that he disclosed at length to Tempo journalists Widiarsi Agustina and Nugroho Dewanto. At the age of 85, his memory is still crystal clear. He had to pay a high price for “the Permesta History” with jail and dismissal from the army. Nonetheless, he said: “I do not regret it.”
March 18, 2008
THAT idyllic old mansion on Jalan Teuku Umar, in Menteng, Central Jakarta, became the witness of our meeting with General Nasution. One day around the end of October 1961 we arrived at that house. The porch was clear and bright. The host warmly welcomed us—something quite unprecedented. Nasution himself opened the door. He then told his adjutants to serve coffee and snacks. This was also quite exceptional—it was not his habit to receive guest
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