Teuku Umar

Teuku Umar (1854 – 11 February 1899) was a leader of a guerrilla campaign against the Dutch in Aceh during the Aceh War. He died when Dutch troops launched a surprise attack in Meulaboh. His body was buried in the Mugo area. Afterward, his wife Cut Nyak Dhien continued to lead the guerrillas. He was later made a Pahlawan Nasional Indonesia (National Hero of Indonesia).

Life

Umar joined the guerrilla forces in 1873 at the age of 19. At first, he fought in Meulaboh; he later expanded his operations to different parts of West Aceh.

In 1883, the Dutch colonial government signed a peace treaty with the Acehnese guerrillas. That same year Umar joined them as an undercover operative over Dhien's complaints, working his way up through the colonial military's ranks. After war broke out again in 1884, Umar worked to stop the Acehnese people's struggle. For his service, on 1 January 1894, Umar was given the title Johan Pahlawan and control of a legion of 250 fully armed soldiers. Eventually, Umar was given control of 120 more troops as well as 17 lieutenants.

Teuku has been officially designated as national hero of Indonesia. There are many streets named after him throughout Indonesia, including a main thoroughfare in the well-known suburb of Menteng in Jakarta, as well as a field in Meulaboh.