Stories from Deli

1929 is a violent year in Deli. It was recorded more than 70 riots and coolies attacked across all plantations

January 1929

• 9 assistants and 1 Asian overseer were assaulted on the estates of Bahsoemboe, Pagar Marbau, Mendaris, Kenopan Oeloe, Bukit Tinggi, Aek Pamineke, Batang Serang, Sungei Behasa, and Tjinta Radja

March

• 6 assistants and 4 Asian overseers were assaulted on the estates of Loboe Dalam, Klambir Lama, Serapoh, Gedong )ohore, Mabar, Poeloe Rambung, and Limau Manis.
• Tanjung Morawa estate, 33 Chinese coolies attacked and wounded an overseer
• Soekaranda estate, an assistant, Arbman Bergh was assaulted and murdered.
• At the end of the month a “strike” of 11 coolies broke out on the Soengei Putih estate in protest against physical maltreatment by a foreman.

Assistant Arbman Bergh had cut the pay of a worker, Djemadi, for leaving his job a few minutes early on the grounds that a just-revised ruling stated that workers could no longer return home simply because their piecework was done. On hearing of his penalty, Djemadi pulled a knife on Bergh and stabbed him to death.

April

• 14 more assaults were reported.
• Mariendal, an assistant was threatened by a Chinese coolie
• Tanjung Kubu, an assistant was assaulted by a coolie, who was restrained with a revolver.
• Pabatu and Sempali estates, a Chinese overseer was attacked and wounded by a Chinese coolie.
• Tanjung Morawa, a worker wounded a foreman in a dispute over a woman.
• Simpang Ampat and Sungei Behasa, workers attacked an assistant.
• Bulu Cina, a Chinese worker “mishandled” an overseer.
• Adolina, a Javanese female worker threatened a female overseer but was restrained.
• Kloempang estate, 14 Chinese coolies were sentenced to 1! to 8 years imprisonment for attempting to kill the head overseer.
• Bandar Kwala, an English assistant was seriously wounded by a Javanese coolie.
• Tanjung Kali, Tanjung Bringin and Bandar Kwala plantations, assistants were threatened by Chinese and Javanese workers.

May.

• Paja Bakong. Simpang Ampat, and Bekiun, 3 overseers were threatened or assaulted.
• Namoe Trassi estate, an assistant was threatened by 4 Chinese workers.

June

• 6 more overseers and 4 assistants were attacked.

July

• 20 coolies threatened an overseer
• Parnabolon estate, an assistant’s wife Landzaat was murdered by a collie.
• Two assistants from the Adolina and Sempali estates were threatened and assaulted in the same month. In August, 2 assistants were threatened.

October

Membang Modea estate, assistant Ihme was followed by 2 coolies with knives. The planter withdrew a revolver and arrested the coolies. Evidence suggested the coolies are planning to kill all Europeans in the area. 16 coolies from another estate was arrested (Straits Times, 21 October).

Kanopan Oeloe, a Javanese coolie attacked the manager. Molenaar was wounded by a parang. On the afternoon of the same day, Evertsen was attacked.

Liberia Estate: Assitant Martens was attacked and wounded

Badja Linggei: Van der Goot was assaulted with a tjankol and injured his right leg

Pabatoe estate: 2 Chinese coolies attempte dto murder the assistant

(Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser, 30 October 1929, Page 6)

November

• 2 assistants were attacked, in one case by a foreman, and 2 overseers were assaulted.

December

• A Japanese assistant, an English assistant, and an administrator and assistant were attacked, while the head foreman was murdered.

From: Ann Stoler. Capitalism and Confrontation in Sumatra’s Plantation Belt.