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 All historical documents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