Don't corrupt history, says Vice President

Don't corrupt history, says Vice President

JAKARTA (JP): Vice President Try Sutrisno warned historians
yesterday against corrupting history for the sake of a particular
cause.

He underlined the importance of history in preserving the
values of the past, especially the fighting spirit of the
forefathers who won Indonesia independence.

Try's remarks came at the opening of a four-day congress of
the Indonesian Historical Society.

People should be able to pick up the spirit and significance
of historical events and apply it to present day situations, said
the vice president.

Try called history a foundation for the future, which the
present can fall back on.

Meanwhile, the chief organizer of the congress, Edi Sedyawati,
explained the congress was a continuation of the five historical
seminars held by the society.

The first historical seminar was held in Yogyakarta in 1957.
"It was a formal event aimed at finding a historical and
methodological basis for what has been called 'Indonesian
National History'," said Edi, who is also the Director General
for Culture.

The 265 participants in the current congress, held at Hotel
Indonesia, have gathered around the theme, A Dialog on the Past
to Open Up the Present and Plan the Future.

At an afternoon session of the congress, the society inducted
five new honorary members.

Historian Taufik Abdullah said in his presentation speech that
the organization sought to honor non-historians who have
contributed outstanding historical works.

Those inducted were former armed forces chief Abdul Haris
Nasution, former minister of home affairs Ida Anak Agung Gede
Agung, former governor of Aceh Ali Hasjmy, social scientist G.J.
Resink, and the late Rusli Amran.

Only Nasution and Ali Hasjmy were present during yesterday's
ceremony. Ida Anak Agung Gede Agung and Resink were unable to
attend because of illness.

Taufik Abdullah highlighted the contributions of each honorary
member that won them the distinction. Nasution's writings, he
said, have become a foundation of Indonesian military history.
Ida Anak Agung Gede Agung was recognized for his work in
analyzing the Renville peace agreement.

Resink's contribution was his international legal approach to
his study on Indonesian colonialism. Ali Hasjmy and Rusli Amran
were lauded for their work in spotlighting the history of the
Aceh and Minangkabau cultures.

Meanwhile, the chairman of the Indonesian Historical Society,
Noorhadi Magetsari, acknowledged that compared with other
academic organizations, the Society has yet to produce concrete
results.

With the aim of improving professionalism, the Society aims to
boost the quality of graduates in the field history.

"Compared to the Indonesian Medical Association and The
Indonesian Economists Association, the Historical Society has yet
to show any real contribution to the community," he remarked. (mds)