Memorial days

Memorial days

In an article published in the Republika daily on Feb. 27, 1996, K.H. Firdaus, a former vice-chairman of Syarikat Islam (SI), expressed his strong objection to the government's adoption of the founding date of Budi Utomo (BU), May 20, 1908, as National Awakening Day. He argued that there was nothing national about BU as its membership was open only to ethnic Javanese, consisting mainly of Dutch-minded bureaucrats who were never involved in direct struggle for Indonesia's independence. He proposed that Oct. 16, 1905, the establishment date of Serikat Dagang Islam (whose name was officially changed to Syarikat Islam in 1911) should be observed as National Awakening Day instead. This is not only because it preceded BU by nearly three years, but because SI fought for the independence of Indonesia and denounced Dutch exploitation.

I fully agree with K.H. Firdaus' view that BU was parochial and that SI was more nationalistic. I am amazed that the Indonesian government has failed to realize this easily researched distinction. SI's one million members came from various ethnic groups throughout Indonesia. Furthermore, unlike BU, it used Malay, the country's lingua franca, as its main language of communication.

Unfortunately, even after the founding SI, regional feelings were still strong in Indonesia, as evidenced by the establishment of unashamedly provincial organizations such as Jong Java (Young Javanese Union). It was not until Oct. 28, 1928, that Indonesians finally declared that they belonged to one country with one language. I believe that Oct. 28, 1928, would also be an appropriate choice for National Awakening Day.

Another memorial day in need of revision is Kartini Day, which honors only one of Indonesia's national heroines. It is well known that Kartini's five years correspondence with her Dutch friends at the turn of the century (1899-1904) provides not only a moving account of her search for a viable and purposeful life for herself, but also a record of her desire to free other Javanese women from the suffocating atmosphere of the traditional culture.

However, no matter how noble her ideals and dreams were, the lives and struggles of the other officially recognized heroines should also be remembered. For instance, the immense sacrifice and struggles of Tjut Nyak Dien, who led thousands of men and women in a protracted guerrilla war against the Dutch colonial army in the jungles of Aceh from 1899 to 1905, was truly outstanding. Also impressive were the political orator and agitator Rasuna Said, who openly attacked the Dutch colonial policy in West Sumatra in the early 1930s, as well as Dewi Sartika, the dedicated teacher from West Java and Christina Marta Tyahohu, the early 19th century freedom fighter from the Moluccas.

I call on the Indonesian government to change the date of National Awakening Day from May 20 to either Oct. 16 or Oct. 28. Kartini Day should be replaced with Heroines Day (to be observed on a suitable date) to commemorate the ideals and achievements of all heroines, including Kartini.

MASLI ARMAN

Jakarta