Gayo, Alas dan Batak Land Massacre

Gayo, Alas and Batak Land Massacre was carried out by KNIL under the leadership of G.C.E. van Daalen in 1904 during the Aceh War.

Background to this massacre began In December 1903, the Gay Gay, Alas and Batak governments held an official trip from Teluk Aru and Salahaji to Kuala Simpang to investigate some of the disputes arising between Kejurun Karang, Tamiang's main area, directly adjacent to the settlements Gayo, located in Krueng Tamiang.

Despite the fact that many Gayo people - especially Gayo Lues, Serbejadi, and Linge - descend to Tamiang to sell their forest and cattle products and themselves need to buy imported goods, the visit really shows that indigenous contact with the Dutch East Indies government much larger when Dutch officials did not record all the contacts in the systematic tribal affairs systematically.

It was therefore decided that the civilian and military government ordered the rulers of Gayo and Alas Land (to which they were directed) to drafting instructions for the commander of the aforementioned forces from Kuala Simpang; after this instruction was approved by the East Sumatra military commander, the Tamiang convoy was drawn to Pedeng to reach the target in sufficient time to anticipate the next task.

Kampung Bambel located above Krueng Singkil made bivouac; from that place, successive camps in Likat and Kute Lengat Baru fell on June 20 and 24 after heavy resistance. In fighting in Likat, Dutch troops slaughtered indiscriminately, leaving 432 people killed, among them 220 men, 124 women, and 88 children.

Heavy and light injuries were 51 people, of whom 2 men, 17 women and 32 children, who were caught alive only 7 children. With the fall of the stronghold, the resistance at Krueng Bambel was broken, while the Batu Mbulan Kejuron - where there were two camps, Batu Mbulan and Tanjung which had been abandoned just in time - remained calm with the leader Berakan, Reje Mbulan's son, without any hostility. On June 29, the elders of Bambel and Batu Mbulan emerged with his entourage, which was subsequently detained by the commandant of the ranks.