Java Civilian Japanese Prison Camps

The largest concentration of Civilian Prison camps  was established on Java by the Japanese Imperial army. The  short term purpose of this huge incarceration policy was to remove all western influence from Javanese society. The long-term objective has never been  declared or revealed, though can be inferred from  the pattern of prison camp evolution. Below is presented a broad overview of the evolution for the period between Dutch capitulation ( 8 March 1942) and Japanese capitulation ( 15 August 1945) .  Both the start  as well as the ending of this incarceration  phase was gradual.  The start was complicated by a number of factors

• Uncertainty as to how to define “Western Influence”. Was this restricted to ethnic Europeans , or to those who had adopted European outlook on life? Where did Middle eastern ethnic groups , not to forget the Chinese population fit in ?
•  The scattered nature of Western penetration on Java: cities , villages , mission posts and plantations
• The need for Japan to honour some international  obligations towards the Third Reich.

The ending of incarceration was equally piecemeal due to the bizarre ending of the Pacific War, and the chaos that ensued. Some prisoners sought freedom shortly after  August 15, 1945 when Japanese guards ceased imposing their will. Other prison camps  remained in place long after that date to protect the civilian POWs from a new menace, the Indonesian uprising, or Bersiap. The following table should  be seen in this light:

Java Civilian Prison Camps
Region	Number of Camps
	Dec-42	Aug-45
West Java	54	18
Midden java	36	11
East Java	20	1
Total	110	30

What this table illustrates is the  huge logistical effort  taken by the Japanese imperial army to reduce the burden placed on the army of occupation to achieve its political end. This ongoing effort was pursued until the very last day of the war.

The source of this and following data is to be found in the website:

www. Japanseburgerkampen.nl

Japanese Civilian Prison Camp Population on 15 August 1945

Civilian Prison Camps on Java  August 1945
Region	District	Camp	Men and boys	Women and Children
West Java	Batavia	ADEK		2000
		Glodok	595
		Kampong Makassar		3500
		Kramat		2000
		Mater Dolorosa	1000
		Sint Vicentius	1200
		Struiswijk		1400
		Tjideng		11000
	Buitenzorg	Kedoeng Halang		93
		Kelpanoegal	145
	Soekaboemi	Rosali (hosp)		150
		4de en 9de bataljon	8000
		Baros 5	2400
		Baros 6	1700
		Goenoeng halos	360
		Pasir Benteng	170
	Bandoeng	15de Bataljhon	8000
		Tjihapit		31
	Subtotal		23570	20143
Midden java		Bangkong	1300
		Halmaheira		3300
		Lampersari		7600
		Ambarawa 6		4000
		Ambarawa 7	2500
		Ambarawa 9		700
		Banjoebiroe 10		5300
		Banjoebiroe 11		2300
		Banjoebiroe 12		1200
		Rawaseneng	100
	Subtotal		3900	24400
East Java	Batoe	Sanatorium		50
	Grand total		27470	44593

The above table shows how that population of undesirables civilians was split into two groups: women and children in one set of camps  and men and boys in another set of camps. Boys over the age of ten were no longer deemed “children ” under Japanese army regulations.  The population of the men’s camps  is  ambiguous because the available data does not make clear the difference between the western concept of “Man” and “Boy”.

The table also reflects the fact that Eastern Java  and its prominent cities ( Surabaia- a major naval base)  for instance) , was completely  cleared of “westernised ” undesirables.

Suriving Lists of Names of Civilian Internees 

Java: Surviving names lists
Region	Camp	Men and boys	Women and children
West Java	ADEK		2221
	Kramat		1217
	Struiswijk		75
	Tjideng		4911
	4de en 9de bataljon	9418
	Baros 5	2824
	Baros 6	2128
	Goenoeng halos	341
	Pasir Benteng	151
Subtotal West Java		14862	8424
Midden java	Bangkong	1493
	Lampersari		4121
	Ambarawa 6		3938
	Ambarawa 7		325
	Banjoebiroe 10		1632
Subtotal Mid Java		1493	10016
Grand total		16355	18440

The above table summarises the prison camps for which a list of names survived the ending of the war .