Sukarno and guerrilla warfare<\/p>\n
In the articles entitled Recollections of Sukarno: Images of a
\nnational hero, written by Mr. Mochtar Buchori in The Jakarta
\nPost's June 8, 2001 and June 9, 2001 issues, the writer expressed
\nhis disappointment that Sukarno didn't keep his word in leading a
\nguerrilla war when Yogyakarta was invaded by the Dutch troops on
\nDec. 19, 1948.<\/p>\n
To find out the reason, I studied a number of references,
\namong others, an article by Mr. Roem: Letters from Sukamiskin
\nprison -- Development of polemics published in Kompas on Feb. 23,
\n1981.<\/p>\n
According to the account, Sukarno did not leave Yogyakarta
\nbecause a decision had been reached in a morning Cabinet session
\non Dec. 19, 1948. The decision reads: 1) To give Mr. Sjafrudin
\nPrawiranegara the authority to form an emergency government and
\ncarry on the people's struggle in the event the government under
\nSukarno and Hatta is incapable of performing its duties due to
\nthe detention of its leaders. 2) The government remains based in
\nYogyakarta.<\/p>\n
Since none of the people in charge of running the government
\nthen had been given any instruction as to who would lead the
\nguerrilla war, the decision was clearly meant for Sukarno, or at
\nleast construed to be for him.<\/p>\n
The government also issued another statement urging people to
\ncontinue their struggle, but, alas, the statement could not go on
\nthe air as the Indonesian Radio Broadcasting Service (RRI)
\nstation in Yogyakarta was devastated by air-raid bombing. When
\nthe Dutch soldiers reached the palace, they readied themselves to
\nattack. Bung Karno ordered for a white flag to be raised -- a
\nsign of surrender -- as it was feared that if a battle erupted,
\nmany palace members would sustain injuries and they could not
\nhold the Dutch responsible for it. Moreover, the palace troops
\nwere outnumbered by the Dutch soldiers.<\/p>\n
After their arrest, and having given the mandate to Mr.
\nSjahfrudin Prawiranegara, Bung Karno and Bung Hatta were no
\nlonger heads of government, but individuals and national figures.<\/p>\n
Sukarno flatly rejected the appeal from Maj. Gen. Meyer when
\nthe latter asked him to instruct the National Army (TNI) and
\npeople to stop fighting the Dutch. After Col. Van Langen (who led
\nthe attack on Yogyakarta) reported to his senior, Gen. Spoor,
\nthat Bung Karno and Bung Hatta had been detained, the general
\nabruptly said: \"We have lost\" (Solichin Salam: Sukarno-Hatta
\nnever gives up, Merdeka, March 16, 1991 and March 17, 1991).<\/p>\n
Later, after war was waged with weapons and diplomacy, the
\nRoem-Royen Agreement was reached. According to the agreement, the
\ngovernment of the Republic of Indonesia was reestablished in
\nYogyakarta. In the Round Table Conference in The Hague in late
\n1949, the Dutch recognized the Federal Republic of Indonesia as a
\nsovereign and free nation.<\/p>\n
JOHN ISKANDAR<\/p>\n
Surabaya<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/sukarno-and-guerrilla-warfare-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }