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The Story of The Founder of NU Jepara Accused of being a Provocateur for Looting a Chinese boss’s Shop at Bangsri Market

The Founder of NU Jepara KH Ahmad Fauzan (Credit foto: Ponpes Al Anwar)
The Founder of NU Jepara KH Ahmad Fauzan (Credit foto: Ponpes Al Anwar)

HALO JEPARA- The story of Kiai Ahmad Fauzan being accused of being the provocateur for looting a Chinese boss’s shop at the Bangsri Market in Jepara.

Kiai Ahmad Fauzan as a religious leader in the Bangsri area became a sought after figure when the Japanese military government occupied Jepara.

The Japanese military government’s occupation of Indonesia for approximately 3.5 years had a tremendous impact on the people.

In 1942, at the same time as the arrival of Japanese troops in Jepara, instability occurred. The power vacuum resulting from the transition in power resulted in looting (krahayah) occurring in several busy centers in the Jepara area. One of the Krahayahan locations is the market.

In Bangsri, looting by the masses started at the government-owned pawnshop office. The dissatisfied crowd then moved towards the Bangsri Market complex where there are many shops owned by Chinese residents. The mob looted the existing items haphazardly.

Conditions at that time could be described as if there were no legal regulations that were in force and obeyed. It is not known the amount of losses experienced by traders at Bangsri Market at that time.

After the incident ended, many Chinese people were traumatized and left the shops they rented from local residents. On average, they return to their homes, relatives or relatives in big cities such as Semarang, Surabaya and Jakarta.

Most of the Chinese community who trade at Bangsri Market rent to local residents. There are also some of them who buy land and use it as a place to live.

Responding to the action that occurred, the Japanese military government through the village head (kocho) made efforts to control the situation by looking for people who were looting.

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Village officials, especially Petengan, were mobilized to monitor the village to bring order to the situation. One of the impacts was that people who looted left behind the items they took. Some even deliberately throw it away to destroy evidence.

Kiai Ahmad Fauzan as a young religious leader in the Bangsri area became a sought after figure when the Japanese military government occupied Jepara. Fauzan was accused of being the provocateur of the mass riots (Krayahan) that occurred in Bangsri. Moreover, Kiai Ahmad Fauzan and his wife, Nyai Mukminah, live in the Bangsri Market complex.

ILLUSTRATION Bangsri Terminal is located next to Bangsri Market in Jepara. (Photo: @fampicture.id)
ILLUSTRATION Bangsri Terminal is located next to Bangsri Market in Jepara. (Photo: @fampicture.id)

This founding figure of NU (Nahdlatul Ulama) in Jepara was then arrested by the Japanese military police (kenpitai) and put for several days in Bangsri prison (now the Bangsri Police Headquarters).

However, this accusation was not proven until finally Kiai Ahmad Fauzan was released from jail.

The facts on the ground are indeed different from the accusations from the Japanese military government. As the leader of the congregation at that time, Kiai Ahmad Fauzan actually prohibited people from looting goods in the Bangsri Market shops. He appealed to people not to steal and to return items that had been taken so that they would not be punished by the government.

This call was not completely heeded, because the mass that was already moving could not be controlled. Until finally there was massive looting.

Riots in the form of looting that occurred in several busy centers were one of the events at the beginning of the Japanese arrival.

In the center of the Jepara government, statues and gardens showing the splendor of the Dutch East Indies government were destroyed by the Japanese. One of them is the statue of Queen Wilhelmina and the swan statues in the Taman Sari complex in the heart of Jepara City.

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It seemed that the new government did not want to see any remnants of the power of the old government (the Dutch East Indies) in Jepara.

The day after the handover of the Dutch East Indies government to Japan, the Japanese military government banned all organizational activities and meetings. On November 20, 1942 all political activities, including meetings to discuss government organization and structure, were prohibited by Japan.

However, in subsequent developments, the strategic role of Islamic scholars and Muslims was eyed by Japan. They hoped to get help because the Japanese military government had an interest in the Greater East Asia war.

The Japanese military government finally chose a softened attitude towards Muslims. This can be seen from the legalization of the founding of Muhammadiyah on September 10 1943, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) in February 1944. Apart from that, also for the Islamic Community Association (PUI) in Sukabumi in the same year. The Islamic politics played by the Japanese military government was seen in the indoctrination activities of rural ulama in 1943.

The aim was to mobilize ulama who were role models for the people to support Japanese interests. Although the Japanese military government also made a number of requirements that these scholars had to fulfill. Japan wrapped up this “synergy” effort by carrying out indoctrination activities in which the ulama participated.

A number of requirements that must be fulfilled by ulama, namely having a good name, being healthy and active in daily activities; can speak and write Malay; and can take a course for one month. However, Kiai Ahmad Fauzan apparently never took part in the indoctrination activities organized by the Japanese military government.

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Apart from Islamic politics which was played quite strictly, the Japanese military government also made efforts to stabilize and exploit the colonial people. This results in the condition of the people increasingly suffering. The people felt Japan’s burdensome policies.

The policy of mandatory handover of rice meant that the people of Jepara were forced to hand over a certain amount of their harvest to the Japanese military government through the village. As a result of this policy, it is not uncommon for people to choose to hide their harvested rice underground or on top of their houses.

Likewise with the mandatory work policy or what is known as romusha. This mandatory work is implemented jointly, especially for young people who have high productivity.

This policy creates a burden for the people. In the midst of a low quality of life, characterized by limited food and poor quality of health, the Japanese military government demanded mandatory work and mandatory surrender.

Responding to this Japanese action, the struggle carried out by young Kiai Ahmad Fauzan was more moral in nature. Kiai Ahmad Fauzan encouraged the public to be more patient in facing the situation of Japanese colonialism. This is different from the period that followed with the position as part of the government. (*)

*This article is adapted from the book KH Ahmad Fauzan, Biography, Thoughts and His Role in Jepara (Author M Dalhar)