War veterans still fighting 60 years on<\/p>\n
Indra Harsaputra, The Jakarta Post, Surabaya<\/p>\n
Chairman of the Surabaya chapter of the Indonesian Veterans
\nLegion (LVRI), Hartoyik, 75, places a black-and-white photograph
\nof two Indonesian soldiers carrying machine guns in the fight to
\ndefend Surabaya against the Allied Forces, atop his desk.<\/p>\n
Each year on Independence Day, Hartoyik places the photograph
\nof himself and his troop commander from the Candramawa Battalion
\n(former Hisbullah Force), Sergeant Asror, on his desk to remind
\nhis guests of the spirit of patriotism during the fight for
\nindependence.<\/p>\n
Despite being worn out, the photo, taken by an amateur
\nphotographer in 1948 during a defense position in Mojokerto, has
\nhistorical value as it was shot when Surabaya was overtaken by
\nthe Allied Forces and Indonesian fighters were on the verge of
\nlosing the battle of Nov. 10, 1945. They were then moving their
\nbase to Mojokerto and Sidoarjo.<\/p>\n
\"It is as if this photograph provides me with the strength to
\nkeep on struggling even though our nation already gained
\nindependence 60 years ago,\" said Hartoyik, whose last rank was
\ncolonel when he retired from the Brawijaya Military Command many
\nyears ago.<\/p>\n
He told of his struggle to put his eleven children through
\nschool, all graduating from higher learning institutes. For a
\nformer war veteran, sending his children to school was no easy
\ntask due to the high cost of education in Surabaya.<\/p>\n
\"I often borrowed money from my neighbors to pay for my
\nchildren's schooling because the salary of a soldier is very
\nsmall,\" he told The Jakarta Post on Friday.<\/p>\n
The family even had to eat rice mixed with maize so they could
\nafford to keep the children in school.<\/p>\n
It was fortunate that Hartoyik could still afford to send them
\nto university. Two of his children have a successful career in
\nthe police force, with both holding the rank of senior adjutant
\npolice commissioner.<\/p>\n
Hartoyik's life is a far cry from the lives of high-ranking
\ngovernment officials. He lives in a modest house in Wonosari,
\nSurabaya. His only income is his veteran pension from the
\ngovernment of Rp 1 million (US$105) monthly.<\/p>\n
Hartoyik is more fortunate than his colleagues. Sidik
\nPoernomo, 82, a leader at Surabaya chapter of the Indonesian
\nDisabled Veterans Corps, and a former member of the Defenders of
\nthe Fatherland (PETA), was disabled after being hit by mortar in
\na battle against the Allied Forces in Mount Batok area, Pujon
\nBatu, Malang in 1947.<\/p>\n
Sidik has to use a prosthesis after his right arm was
\namputated and he was blinded in his left eye when he was hit by
\nshrapnel during the battle to defend Malang from the Allied
\nForces.<\/p>\n
Sidik gets a monthly allowance of Rp 1,250,000 as a war
\nveteran, and a compensation of Rp 60,000 for his disability from
\nthe government.<\/p>\n
Sidik never complains about the allowances he gets, although
\nhe feels it is paltry compared to what he has had to endure.<\/p>\n
Although they cannot work part time after retiring from the
\nmilitary, disabled war veterans are given great respect by
\nSurabaya residents.<\/p>\n
Even though his house in the Wonokromo area is often flooded
\nwhen it rains and several of his roof tiles have crumbled due to
\nage, he is fortunate to have been able to send his nine children
\nto school. One of them is now a successful staffer at the
\nSurabaya Stock Exchange (BES).<\/p>\n
Another freedom fighter who is also active at the Disabled
\nVeterans Corps, Amari, who was blinded due to mortar shrapnel
\nduring a struggle against the Allied Forces in Waru, Sidoarjo, in
\n1947, said that not all veterans received a pension of more than
\nRp 1 million.<\/p>\n
The pension is given according to the last rank held. Some 90
\npercent of the 6,000 war veterans in Surabaya are living below
\nthe poverty line. Most of them receive less than Surabaya's
\nminimum wage, or less than Rp 500,000 per month.<\/p>\n
\"Despite that, all of their children have been able to
\ncomplete their schooling,\" said Amari.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/war-veterans-still-fighting-60-years-on-1447893297",
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