Veterans look back to Independence Day<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The proclamation of Indonesia's independence 50
\nyears ago was an \"eruption of the energy of the people\" to free
\nthemselves from the shackles of colonialism and to achieve glory
\nfor the nation, a former freedom fighter said last night.<\/p>\n
Roeslan Abdul Gani told a discussion with members and
\nactivists of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) here that
\nindependence was achieved only through the spirit of nationalism
\nand patriotism which originated in the state ideology, Pancasila,
\nwhich, he said, was marked by idealism and heroism.<\/p>\n
Roeslan, 81, and two other independence fighters, S.K.
\nTrimurti and B.M Diah, were reminiscing about their experiences
\nduring the turbulent period leading up to Indonesia's
\nindependence.<\/p>\n
In the discussion, which was opened by PDI chairperson
\nMegawati Soekarnoputri, the fighters also spoke of their view of
\nthe achievement of independence from the standpoint of the
\ncurrent social and political situation.<\/p>\n
Roeslan, who was deputy prime minister from 1966 to 1967 and
\nIndonesian ambassador to the United Nations from 1967 to 1971,
\ntold the audience that \"the essence of the Proclamation (of
\nIndependence) is to bring the people not only to freedom, but to
\nprosperity as well\".<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, he added, \"many people have now forgotten this
\nspirit of independence. Instead, there are people who now
\nmanipulate conditions at present to further their own interests\".<\/p>\n
\"Some of those people say that they're doing this or that for
\nthe sake of the people, when actually they're only seeking profit
\nfor their own,\" Roeslan said, without identifying anyone in
\nparticular.<\/p>\n
B.M. Diah focused his discussion on the roles that national
\nleaders played. The former information minister and founder of
\nthe Merdeka daily reminded the PDI activists that \"leaders are
\nelected by the people and are therefore beholden to them\".<\/p>\n
\"Their responsibility is to fight for the interests of the
\npeople,\" Diah said.<\/p>\n
S.K. Trimurti, who was labor minister during the
\nadministration of Indonesia's first president Sukarno, said that
\nover the past 50 years the country had seen great progress.<\/p>\n
However, she said that in the sphere of social justice the
\nnation still has far to go. A fiery speaker, the 83-year-old
\nTrimurti drew wild applause from the audience when she described
\nthe nation's passage towards social justice as a long road.<\/p>\n
\"We're not even halfway there, and we have to stop off at the
\nhospital because we're suffering from a headache,\" said Trimurti,
\nwho is a member of the Petisi 50 group of government critics.<\/p>\n
\"Justice has a lot to do with conscience, a conscience which
\ncannot be compromised,\" she added. (swe)<\/p>",
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