Bandung Sea of Fire

British troops from the MacDonald Brigade arrived in Bandung on October 12, 1945.
They demanded that all firearms in the hands of the population except the TKR be
handed over. The Dutch who had just been released from the internment camps
committed acts that disrupted security. A gun battle between the Allies and the TKR
was inevitable. The city of Bandung was split into two, north Bandung and south
Bandung. Inadequate weaponry meant that northern Bandung had to be occupied by
the allied forces. On November 21, 1945, the TKR and other organs of struggle
launched attacks on British positions in the north, including the Homann Hotel and
Preanger Hotel which they used as headquarters.The Allied Forces issued the first
ultimatum for the northern part of Bandung to be vacated by the Republic of Indonesia
no later than November 29, 1945. However, the ultimatum was ignored, so on March 23,
1946 the Allied forces issued a second ultimatum. They demanded that all people and
TKR fighters vacate the southern part of Bandung. The ultimatum gave birth to
scorched earth politics, this was done to prevent allied soldiers and NICA soldiers from
using the city of Bandung as a military strategy headquarters in the Indonesian
independence war. The battle between the allies and the TKR in Dayeuhkolot Village
involved Muhammad Toha and Muhammad Ramdan, two members of the BRI
(Barisan Rakjat Indonesia) militia who went on a mission to destroy an ammunition
warehouse belonging to the allies. Muhammad Toha managed to blow up the warehouse
with dynamite. The huge warehouse exploded and caught fire with the two militiamen
inside.

The people of Bandung go about their activities. They go back and forth to fulfill what
they need, some are trading, shopping, or even just sightseeing.

Desta (native): come on, the vegetables are still fresh. Come on deck, mba bought the
vegetables

Sella (native): Idii you think it's just that the vegetables are fresh, my vegetables are no less
fresh than yours.
Ema (native): What happened it?

Desta and Sella looked at each other and then smiled together.

Ema (native) : How much is this?

Desta (native) : cheap mba, just pick and choose.

Sufia and Sella came out of the left corner carrying their bags and walked to the right corner
giggling and then stopped. The two of them whispered. Then the allied forces arrived,
demanding that all firearms in the hands of the population except the TKR be handed over.

Annisa Badriatul (ally) : The weapons you get from the Japanese you must hand over to us!

Sekar (ally) : yuhuuuu that's right. You people don't need to talk so much! Hurry up and hand
over your weapons!

Desta (native) : what kind of weapon, I only have vegetables....

Sella (native): People are so strange, we women don't have guns.

Sufia (native): Already- it's better for this akang-akang tea to leave here!

Sekar (ally): How many times have you driven us away, apparently you have never been
taught a lesson (raises hand to slap the native women).

The TKR came because they received reports that the allied forces were forcing them to
ask for weapons that the population had taken from the Japanese.

Reza (TKR): Stop! You look Caucasian but mentally you're just like a Caucasian kebo.
Ahmad Rosul(TKR): That's right, only dare to be with women!

Reza (TKR) :fireeee!

All TKR: Ahmad Rosul, Reza and Isma attacked the allies. The TKR and the allies
fought but the TKR managed to repulse the allies. They then launched attacks on
British positions in the north, including the Homann Hotel and Preanger Hotel which
they used as headquarters.

***

The Dutch who had just been released from the internment camps came to disrupt
security.

Beni (Netherlands): "finally i'm free, hahahhaaa......

Mira (Dutch) : oh boss...... you look very happy today.....

Beni (Dutch) : yes honey....because we can be free and can see these stupid natives!
(rummaging and kicking the natives' belongings)

Mira (Dutch) : hahaha..... is right, you stupid natives!

Mira (Dutch): What is this? ...... (takes mariyani's vegetables then throw it away)hikss
disgusting, don't go near it.

Ema (native) : Even though, this is ours, not yours! You said wanted to look for spices but
instead you colonized?

Sufia (native) : Aren't you ashamed of taking spices from other people's land by force.
Prospering your country with spices from our land.

Ahmad Rosul (TKR): Hey Dutch...... you have to stop this disturbing behavior!"
Beni (Dutch): are you kidding me?! This is fun! See? This is fun!! (picks up a vegetable and
throws it at Job's face)

Isma (TKR) : wa,... he's been insolent commander. He must be taught a lesson. We must fight
for our rights that they have trampled on.

Mira (Dutch) : You deserve to be trampled on!

Isma (TKR): Hey! How dare you talk like that? I think your mouth should be taught a lesson!

Mira (Dutch): Shut up you natives (cuts off tifa line)

Isma (TKR): You have guts too! If you think about it, we're not afraid of you!

Meanwhile, the Allies came back. For the first time, they issued a ultimatum for
Bandung to be vacated for security purposes no later than November 29, 1945.

Sekar (ally): Attention, you people must leave Bandung, no later than November 29, yes, for
security."

Sella (native) : security? You colonizers don't need to pretend to protect us! You will be PHP?
You say you want to protect us and then you enslave us! We can't be lied to!

Sekar (ally): how dare you! How dare you get angry at the Company! You natives! (pointing
a gun)

Reza (TKR) : eehh, what is it? You dare to be with a woman?! Come with me if you dare!
(rolls up arm)

Annisa Badriatul (ally): you natives just go away! You don't deserve to live here, we have
more right to own this city."

Sekar (ally): Hey bro, you're free now....

Beni (Dutch): it's all thanks to you guys. ..... thanks my friend (shakes hands)

Annisa Badriatul (ally) : hahahahahah, we must work together to seize Paris Van Java
together, we are united for a more advanced bandung!" (campaign)

Beni (Dutch): Dat klopt (True)...... all of you have to leave this city!"

Isma (TKR) : You don't deserve to say that. We were born here, this is where we live. We
have the right to live here. It's not you migrants who are causing the damage."

Sekar: I don't want to know, but you have to vacate Bandung as soon as possible!

Reza: If we don't want it, what do you want? Huh....?! Fireeeeeee.........!

For the second time the TKR and the Allies clashed, then the TKR managed to repel the
Allies and the Dutch. Meanwhile, the situation returned to safety despite the devastation
caused by the Dutch and Allied attacks.

***

Sella: Ouch.... Ouch.... Everything is so messy like this

Sufia: Did you hear the ultimatum of the allies, I'm so afraid of this......

Sella: The allies and the Dutch will definitely not stay silent, so what will happen to us if they
come here again?

Desta: I don't know. We are just ordinary people, who usually only sell vegetables, we don't
have the strength to fight them. (while showing vegetables)

Ema: Never mind, stop talk about the allies and the Dutch. It actually make us afraid.
Because the population did not heed the ultimatum, on March 23, 1946 the allied forces
issued a second ultimatum. The ultimatum gave birth to scorched earth politics. The
people were not willing to let Bandung be used by the allies and the Dutch as a military
base for the Indonesian independence war.

Annisa Badriatul: Once again we order you to leave the city of Bandung right now, remember
this is the last time we remind you.

Sekar : if you are not fools then you must have left Bandung immediately......

Desta: butttt….where should we go.......

Ema: Right... where do we go, this is the only place we live?

(TKR coming)

Reza: we will not leave this beloved city!

Annisa Badriatul: If you don't obey our orders, then just see what we'll do. You'll pay the
price. ......

Ahmad Rosul: You guys are so unlucky! How many more times do we need to say it heh...?
WE WILL NOT LEAVE THIS CITY!

Sekar :We don't want to know. ..... Remember this is the last time! If you do not obey our
orders, then we will make sure there is no more life here. (pointing to Job as he turns around
and leaves).

Reza: You know that our strength is not comparable to the strength of the allies and the Dutch
NICA, so to avoid huge losses on our part Colonel Abdul Nasution ordered us to leave the
city of Bandung and burn it down.
Ahmad Rosul: You pack your things and head south to the mountains.

Ema: If that's the case, we are willing to leave Bandung and scorch the earth for the sake of
Indonesia's independence! Because struggle does require sacrifice.

Sella: That's right, we're ready! Let's fight! (Ema, Desta, Sufia pack up their things while
crying. Meanwhile TKR: Ahmad Rosul, Reza and Isma throw dynamite to burn down the
city of Bandung).

Isma: For my beloved country!!! (while throwing dynamite)

Isma: Merdeka...! (while throwing dynamite)

Isma: For the nation of Indonesia! ......! (While throwing dynamite)

Then Muhammad Toha (Reza) and Muhammad Ramdan (Ahmad Rosul) went on a
mission to destroy the allied ammunition warehouse. Muhammad Toha managed to
blow up the warehouse with dynamite. The large warehouse exploded and caught fire
with the two militias inside.

Ahmad Rosul: We are not willing to give up Bandung in one piece for your dirty plans!
(while throwing dynamite at the allied ammunition warehouse)

Reza: MERDEKA..........! (blows up allied ammunition warehouse)

"The flames are everywhere, thick smoke soars, this is the city of Bandung that was burned
down, indeed the struggle requires sacrifice".(read dilemma).

Accompanied by the song Halo-Halo Bandung