COMMENTS ON ETHNIC COMPOSITION AND ATTITUDES OF THE POPULATION OF SUMATRA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP61-00391R000200240012-0
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: November 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 8, 1998
• Sequence Number: 12
• Content Type: REPORT

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Approved For Releas ? P61-00391 R000200240012-0
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COMMEN`T'S ON ETHNIC COMPOSITION AND ATTITUDES OF. THE POPULATION OF SINATRA
4" he original native populations of the areas being considered in this
memorandum are all basically of Malaysian origin.
Sumatra'.s racial composition has been perhaps the least influenced by
influx of other population groups. The basic native composition of
Sumatra's population includes major ethnic groups classified by Coastal Ma3.a~yA~i.n J a~-zt~ropalogists
, angkabau, Batak, Atjehnese, the Redjang-Larcpong group,
and Niassans, in addition to numerous minor groups. Numbers and significant
characteristics of these groups are shown on the attached table.
Java's native racial composition, including Javanese, Sudanese and
Madurese, forms by far the largest, numerically, of the
considered here, but it has been more strongly influenced than n Su,~atra
by outside population groups as a result of more far reaching ecoao:-nic
development by the Dutch during the colonial period and by a more a_tive
and influential Chinese merchant and camercial class. Numerous re-aorts
indicate, however, that much of the Chinese population has been ra."er
thoroughly "Indonesianized" insofar as political feelings are concerned.
Appraisal of popular feeling in Sumatra toward Java as compare, c z th
that toward Malaya is difficult. Javanese- and Sundanese immigrants to
Sumatra, as a result.of the Government's transmigration program and of
recruitment for work on rubber and tobacco estates, have had difficulty
in adjusting to the Sumatran environment --- both physical and cul.tLc--I .
Reports of open hostility between lataks and Javanese in northeast S atra,
for example, suggest antagonism between the two cultures. Most sou,.,yes
indicate strong distrust and suspicion on the part of the major ethai:ic
groups in the interior of Sumatra toward all outsiders. Feelirzs o:.
loyalty to a Java-based central government are not strong. On the other.
hand, . ethnic Malays occupying major areas on Sumatra's east coast ha`,, e
historically had fairly close contacts frith the Malay Peninsula end may
be considered to provide a cultural tie between the two areas.
Except for Javanese immigrents in South Sr atraa and in the vic...-LLty
of Medan, there appears no strong reason to conclude that the populr'-ion
of Sumatra would not have as strong or possibly even stronger ethnic:,
linguistic, religious, and economic ties with Malaya than it has had
with Jaya.
Furthermore, it should be noted that Sumatran' s overwhelmingly
Malaysian population would more thcui offset Singapore's Chinese majority
in any possible Malaya-Sing apore.Sa tra political union.
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