Dec. 19 not 18

Dec. 19 not 18

From Kompas

In the frame work of the observance of the 50th anniversary of Indonesia's independence, the historical account as reported by Kompas on Feb. 2, 1995 concerning the book discussion held in the Australian Embassy in Jakarta recently, deserves our due attention.

But, what is surprising is that the report is titled Eighteenth of December 1948. Why, Dec. 18, 1948 does not mean anything as far as the Indonesia's struggle for independence is concerned. The title of the report apparently refers to the opinion of Thomas Critchley, former Australian ambassador to Indonesia, who said that Dec. 18, 1948 is an important milestone in Indonesia's history. This is so because, according to the ambassador, on that day the Dutch forces launched the second military aggression against Indonesia.

How could Critchley obtain the data to support his statement concerning the event of Dec. 18, 1948? All historical documents on the Indonesian struggle for independence confirm that the second Dutch military aggression took place on Sunday, Dec. 19, 1948. This date appears in publications like Sekitar Perang Kemerdekaan Indonesia (Around Indonesia's Struggle for Independence) by A.H. Nasution (1978), Perang Rakyat Semesta 1948-1949 (All People's War) published by Yayasan 19 Desember 1948 and so on.

Actually Kompas itself published an article on the aggression dated Dec. 19, 1948 in the July 22, 1994 issue. So Critchley's statement in the book discussion should have been corrected by the participants, because maintaining Dec. 18, 1948 as having historical significance is misleading as well as confusing the perception of the younger generation concerning Indonesia's struggle for independence.

It was on Dec. 19, 1948 (Sunday), not Dec. 18, 1948, that Yogyakarta's Maguwo airport (now Adisucipto) was suddenly attacked and occupied by two companies of Dutch paratroopers. And Yogyakarta was captured within seven hours by two battalions of the Dutch forces.

I. RAHARJO

Jakarta