Plantation Rules

On the plantations in Deli there was a constant shortage of workers. Recruiters searched for laborers across a wide area, even as far as China.

Each worker had to sign a contract for at least two years. When they signed, they received a payment. After that, they were transported by ship to the plantations.

Once workers understood what the work was really like, many tried to run away. For the plantation owners this was a big financial loss. At that time they could do little to stop them. The contract fell under civil law, so leaving the plantation was not a criminal offense.

To solve this problem, Deli director J.T. Cremer wrote a proposal to the Dutch government. In this document he argued that in order to keep the plantations profitable, breaking a labor contract should become a criminal offense. Cremer based his proposal on British colonial law.

In 1880 the **Coolie Ordinance** was introduced. In practice, this turned plantation workers into forced laborers. Plantation owners were allowed to impose the **poenale sanction** themselves.
Employers effectively acted as police and judges. As a result, punishments such as beatings, fines, and whipping became common. Despite ongoing criticism and reports about abuse, the **poenale sanction** was not finally abolished until 1931.

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The cartoon is a response to the 1904 Rhemrev report, which describes the abuses on the plantations. The then-Minister of Colonies, J.T. Cremer, sits on the left in the chair and claims that "we gentlemen of the Deli would rather keep quiet about something like that."

de stelling/FRAMED #6

colony, Deli plantation

trade | exploit