Delhi conference vital to Indonesia (2)
Delhi conference vital to Indonesia (2)
By Jai Singh Yadav
This is the second of two articles describing the critical role of a conference in New Delhi in consolidating international support for the newly formed Republic of Indonesia in the 1940s.
YOGYAKARTA (JP): The mood of the New Delhi Conference can best be gauged in Nehru's own words at the opening session: "We meet today because the freedom of a sister country of ours has been imperiled and the dying colonialism of a past age has raised its head again and challenged all the forces that are struggling to build up a new structure of the world ... The United Nations Organization, a symbol of the one world that has become the ideal of men of thought and goodwill, has been flouted and its expressed will set at nought ... Asia, too long submissive and dependent and a play-thing of other countries, will no longer brook any interference with her freedom."
Even at the risk of elaborating on the details of the conference in this brief overview, it is worthwhile recalling Nehru's description of the Dutch military offensive, which all of the participating countries unanimously condemned. Nehru said, "Even the dulled and the jaded conscience of the world reacted to this with shock and amazement ... Any person who is acquainted with the spirit of the Indonesian people, or of Asia today, knows that this attempt to suppress Indonesian nationalism and the deep urge for freedom of the Indonesian people must fail ... there can be and will be no surrender to aggression and no acceptance of reimposition of colonial control."
It is important also to note that the main resolution unanimously adopted by the conference was in accordance with the request made by Sukarno and Hatta to Nehru from their confinement in Bangka. This resolution, among others, recommended to the Security Council: immediate release of Indonesia's government, other leaders and all political prisoners; restoration of the Indonesian government within the residency of Yogyakarta; return of all territories by March 15, 1949; immediate withdrawal of Dutch troops from all areas, and full powers including control over the armed forces for the interim government. The resolution also demanded the completion of elections for a Constituent Assembly by Oct. 1, 1949 and the complete transfer of sovereignty to Indonesia by Jan. 1, 1950.
The pressure on the Security Council to act immediately is evident from the fact that just five days after the New Delhi Conference, the Security Council adopted a resolution on Jan. 28, 1949, along similar lines to the Conference resolution, except that it set July 1, 1950, as the last date for complete transfer of sovereignty.
The subsequent events, even the last ditch effort of the Dutch to drag its feet, the Second Security Council Resolution of March 23, 1949, the negotiations at the Hague Round Table Conference on Nov. 4, 1949, are all too elaborate to be recapitulated in this context. Suffice it so say, all is well that ends well. Just four days in advance of the deadline recommended by the New Delhi Conference, prime minister designate Mohammad Hatta received the instruments of transfer of the Netherlands sovereignty to the new state of Indonesia. This came from the hands of the Netherlands Queen on Dec. 27, 1949. The republic was inaugurated on the morning of Jan. 1, 1950, and the Red and White flag went up, after the lowering of the Dutch flag.
One thing that should not be lost sight of in this connection is the fact that thanks to the New Delhi Conference, the attitude of the West, particularly the United States, had completely changed. The West finally recognized the urgency of settling the Indonesian problem. But for the pressure and influence of the United States over Netherlands, the latter would not have found it easy for a change of mind.
The writer is a Visiting Associate Professor at the Faculty of Letters, Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakarta.
Window: Thanks to the New Delhi Conference, the attitude of the west, particularly the United States, had completely changed.