Tracing the Japan-US Battle in Biak
77 years later after the incident, Saturday (1/5/2021) afternoon, the cave looked silent. The cave with a cavity 20 meters deep was dark, empty and damp like an abandoned warehouse.
Visitors explore the interior of Binsari Cave, a historical tourist destination of World War II in Biak Numfor regency, Papua, on Saturday (1/5/2021). During World War II, Binsari Cave was used as an encampment for Japanese soldiers as a defense holeout against US attacks.
Visiting Biak Island, Papua, the mind seemed to drift back to a history book of World War II, which recounts the battle between Japanese troops and the United States. The residue from the story 77 years ago depicts the atrocities of war.
One of the locations that witnessed the great battle of World War II in Biak is Binsari Cave in Samofa village, Biak Numfor regency. By the local community, Binsari Cave is also often referred to as the Japanese Cave.
At the height of the Second World War, Binsari Cave was the site of the death of 3,000 Japanese soldiers under Lieutenant Colonel Kuzume Naoyuki. The Japanese troops were burned alive by US air strikes, which saw hundreds of gasoline-filled barrels dropped from the air and exploded by firing at them.
77 years later after the incident, Saturday (1/5/2021) afternoon, the cave looked silent. The cave with a cavity 20 meters deep was dark, empty and damp like an abandoned warehouse. From the mouth of the cave, sunlight crept in thinly, adding to the exoticism of this stalactite-filled place.
It was fasting month and the Covid-19 pandemic was raging. The footsteps of two visitors were heard, breaking the silence. They were Indra (25) with his wife who appeared to be passionate about historical tourism. Their faces showed enthusiasm and amazement. They looked to be delving into the past and deciphering the cruelty of war.
"I really like history. It's like immortalizing historical events in a place like this. Here, the historical message is immense because, it is the actual location of the event. It gives self-contentment to be able to explore firsthand,” said Indra, a newcomer who works in Biak.
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It was in 1943 when Binsari Cave became an encampment and logistics headquarters for the Japanese army. They formed a base in the cave with the consideration that it would be difficult for opposing troops to navigate. The cave, which is located on land belonging to a local resident, used to be a small cavity and was not clearly visible from above.
The US troops only learned about the whereabouts of the Japanese soldiers after successfully persuading local residents to tell them. This was when the plan for the massacre of the Japanese soldiers was drawn up.
Allied troops under the command of General Douglas MacArthur landed in May 1944 to launch fierce attacks as part of the efforts to seize Biak Island. The location of Biak Island was considered strategic to be used as a US military base with plans to continue the war to Halmahera in the Maluku Islands and Palau Island in the Pacific Ocean.
Turned into a museum
Binsari Cave, which is part of the customary land, is on an enclave belonging to the Rumaropen family. Yusuf Rumaropen turned Binsari Cave into a historical tourist destination. It is among the main historical allures from the Second World War.
The historical paraphernalia that Yusuf collected from 1980 to 1999 are displayed in the cave’s 4,000 square meter frontyard. Other items, which are mostly relics of Japanese soldiers, are exhibited in a small building that has been converted into a museum.
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From the time (these relics) were found, we have just cleaned them up. If repaired or painted, they would reduce its historical value. I just want to maintain the historical authenticity.
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Those on display include bombers, samurai, helmets, bullets, weapons and uniforms of Japanese troops. Every item left over from the war is the silent witness of the war. “From the time [these relics] were found, we have just cleaned them up. If repaired or painted, they would reduce its historical value. I just want to maintain the historical authenticity,” said Yusuf, who with his family, is the Rumaropens’ Binsari Cave caretaker.
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The relics of war that Yusuf collected are the significations of the immensity of the battle at that time. A Japanese soldier's drinking bottle carries some holes, seemingly due to the fired bullets. There is the wreckage of a bomber without head and main body. Only the chassis remains in the tail.
Not only war relics, Yusuf also keeps bones of the dead in a warehouse. There are only a few left because most of the bones have been cremated in a ritual witnessed by the children and grandchildren of the victims who came directly from Japan.
Yusuf said some families of war victims from Japan visited Binsari Cave before the pandemic. They prayed and extended their gratitude because the bones of his family had been stored and cared for in a special warehouse.
Besides Binsari Cave, another historical war silent witness is the World War II Monument at Mokmer beachfront of Parai village. Inside the display room of the monument with architectural waves-like relics on the wall are kept-in ashes and photos of Japanese soldiers and their families.
The monument, which was built in 1992 under an agreement between the governments of Indonesia and Japan, is the first location for the arrival of Japanese troops. After landing at the location, the troops were assigned into different parts across the island. On the monument there are eight large stones on display, reflecting the number of commanding generals in the war.
“They [Japan] built the monument to symbolize the struggle of their soldiers. The stones symbolize their generals. There are eight generals in total. As many as three generals were unaccounted for. They might have been buried in the cave,” said Kostan Koibur, a local resident who is in charge of the monument.
Apart from Mokmer Beach in Parai Village, many other beaches in Biak also carry the traces of war. These beaches were once the disembarkment places for either Japanese or US regiments, with their
various warfare equipment and thousands of troops. It marked the beginning of an atrocitious land confrontation that claimed tens of thousands of lives on the coral island.
Not an easy venture
Seen from a map, the historical tour in Biak looks a glide on an interesting excursion. Visitors go through sheet after sheet of historical records of various existing relics sites. However, preserving the legacy that has lasted for nearly eight decades is by no means an easy venture.
Yusuf said how he had gone through hard times to manage Binsari Cave. From the beginning until now, he has taken care of the cave tourism spot at his own expense. There is no local government or Japanese assistance to maintain it. He only relies on ticket fees of Rp 25,000 per person and Rp 10,000 for schoolchildren.
His situation has been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, with the number of visitors decreasing drastically by about 5-10 times. With a meager income, it is increasingly difficult for Yusuf to realize his plan to build an encroachment for the site. He said the historical items around the cave had been the target of poaching because of the site being exposed on public space.
"As the manager, I really want this 200 meter x 200 meter site to be fenced off. So that the items here can be secured. There are many buyers of scraps in Biak. Several items have been lost. I hope the government can help,” Yusuf said.
A no less deplorable story was told by Kostan, who keeps the World War Monument in succession to his father, Stefanus. His father, who died in 2007, had been the guardian of the historical site, even since the tall building of monument was constructed on the Mokmer Beach area.
For some people, the Japanese Cave is just a place that simply keeps the relics of the Japanese army. For Yusuf Rumaropen, the cave, about which he has built his passion since he was 18, is a household record of war history with his parents passing on the recounts of their testimonies about the war.
Kostan had been paid by the Japanese government before the wage disbursement stalled during the pandemic. Working daily as a fisherman, he sees his caretaking of the monument more as a volunteer activity.
The monument is a reminder for mankind of the atrocities of war with all its repercussions so as history does not repeat itself
This Biak native can't rely much on entry tickets. Being on open land, the monument is accessible freely by anyone who comes to take pictures. In the meantime, Kostan spends much of his time at sea. Not to mention, the pandemic has deterred tourists from coming.
Kostan situation apart, the silent witness of war deserves to be preserved, not only as a place appealing to tourists, but also a means to reflect past history. The inscription on the wall of the World War II Monument that reads, “The monument is a reminder for mankind of the atrocities of war with all its repercussions so as history does not repeat itself.”
(This article was translated by Musthofid).
