Cut Nyak Dhien: A Mirror Of Equality In Medan Juang

Cut in isolation (Wikimedia Commons)

JAKARTA - “If you are an adult, with eight carat bones, broad shoulders, skillful at martial arts, go down to the battlefield to drive the Dutch out of our hometown. The whole of Aceh will unleash weapons. Your father's place is right in front of them. That's why you have to come down to war too. Don't just stay in front of the house. "

That was the message of Cut Nyak Dhien while cradling his child. MH Szekely Lulofs's reconstructed message in a book entitled Cut Nyak Din is said to have always been heard as a sleeping tale of the child when the Aceh war from 1873 to 1913 was raging in various regions.

Therefore, the voices of the ratib saying "La ilaha illallah" were heard throughout the Six Mukim - where Cut Nyak Dhien lived - as a prayer request to the Almighty as well as a fertilizer to grow courage against the Dutch. The fairy tale is widespread, not only raising enthusiasm in the breast of the biological child, but also other children in the area.

Acehnese cultural observer Tungang Iskandar even mentioned Cut Nyak Dhien as a figure who actually had a huge influence. The woman with the father of a warlord named Nanta Setia is said to be a figure who is very closely related to the issue of equality. The woman born in Lampadang, Aceh Besar, 1848 managed to prove that the roles of men and women in the struggle are equal.

“His loyalty to religion is not only a man's thing. Because men and women have the same role in the struggle, ”said Tungang when contacted by VOI some time ago.

Momentum reminders of Cut Nyak Dhien (Commons Wikimedia)

The start of the struggle

On March 22, 1873, the people of Aceh were preparing to welcome the Kingdom of Turkey's reinforcements by the coast. The wait had a bitter end, because it was not the Turkish Royal entourage that came, but four ships, three of which were Dutch warships with a distinctive identity in the form of knitted white, red, and blue tri-colored flags.

Instantly panic broke out from both the elderly and the children. Those who had gathered happily dispersed themselves, running all over the place shouting "The Netherlands is coming, the Dutch are coming, the Dutch are coming!"

Among those who panicked, there was the name Cut Nyak Dhien with her first husband, Teuku Ibrahim Lamnga, filling the line. Since childhood, he used to steal conversations from his father's guests who often talked about the Netherlands, immediately realized how evil the Netherlands was and the fake friendship it offered.

The evil nature of the Netherlands was seen in Cut Nyak Dhien's eyes when their negotiations with the Sultan of Aceh were deadlocked. Exactly March 26, 1873, a war declaration was delivered. Equally, the Acehnese warriors have been prepared.

“There were those who shouted the name of Allah, and there were also those who shouted cheers. The warriors were very brave. These fighters were very brave even though they were armed only with simple tools. They don't seem to hesitate to sacrifice their lives on the battlefield, ”wrote Lulofs in Cut Nyak Din's book.

Thanks to their enthusiasm, the first phase of the Dutch expedition failed miserably. For the Dutch, the killing of the commander-in-chief of the Dutch army, General Kohler, was even a crushing blow. That would be the reason why the Dutch brought more troops to continue invading Aceh in the second phase.

Trial after trial

The unfortunate fate of Cut Nyak Dhien was seen in the second phase of the Dutch attack on Aceh. No kidding, 60 ships were sent to the battlefield. The ships carried 800 fully armed soldiers from all classes of the army, from soldiers, officers, members of the administration, 32 doctors, eight guides, 243 women soldiers' wives, 150 paddlers, three religious leaders to the commander. supreme, General van Swieten who led the invasion.

Even though Acehnese warriors including Cut Nyak Dhien's husband, Teuku Ibrahim Lamnga, felt confident that they would win, the reality was the opposite. The attitudes of some Acehnese fighters who from the beginning were strong, had long believed that what they were doing in the battlefield was useless.

Some supported the Dutch, some chose to fight, and some did nothing. This less compact nuance is the basis for Teuku Ibrahim Lamnga to ask his wife to get ready to leave the house to evacuate. Cut Nyak Dhien paid a heavy price for the decision to evacuate without helping her husband on the battlefield. Her husband who was in guerrilla then died when shot by the Dutch in hiding.

Long story short, Cut Nyak Dhien, who was looking for a fighting partner, then accepted a proposal from Teuku Umar's cousin because he absurdly promised to marry the first man who helped her to avenge her husband's death. In that marriage, Cut Nyak Dhien found many differences with her husband.

Cut Nyak Dhien in exile (Commons Wikimedia)

For example, Cut Nyak Dhien, who believed more in the ulama and fought with them to crush the Dutch. Meanwhile, Umar even wanted his wife to open up her mind by fighting with the nobles, so that she could give a breath of more struggle.

The difference is not a problem for Cut Nyak Dhien. The big problem actually occurred when Umar chose to befriend the Dutch to launch his strategy of resistance. This step not only confused Cut Nyak Dhien. The people around them couldn't stop thinking.

One time, Umar, who was considered a friend to the Dutch, then rebelled and rejoined the ranks of the Acehnese people. There, he and Cut Nyak Dhien said goodbye to the people of the Six Mukim while guerrillaing against the Dutch from within the forest. In fact, even though in the end Umar was made Syahid through two bullets fired by the Dutch.

At that time Cut Nyak Dhien had a big trial for the second time. Like it or not, while gathering determination and strength, he immediately led the vanguard of fighting the Acehnese people by guerrilla. Unfortunately, physical weakness, reduced energy, myopia and gout became obstacles in the struggle.

Subsequently, Cut Nyak Dhien was arrested by the Dutch on November 6, 1905 on the report of his own confidant. Shortly thereafter, Cut Nyak Dhien was exiled to Sumedang (West Java), and on November 6, 1908, he died at the age of 60.

So it is only natural that the historian, JJ Rizal, who was contacted by VOI some time ago, called him a stubborn, firm opinion and not easily submissive as an inspiring national hero.

"The characteristics above have become the characteristics of his generation, for example, at that time, there were also the Commander of the Police and Prince Diponegoro who had the same extraordinary existence and did not compromise with the Dutch," concluded JJ Rizal.