New book highlights the role of provisional government

New book highlights the role of provisional government

JAKARTA (JP): The 1948 emergency government played a more important role in the birth of the Indonesian republic than it generally gets credit for, according to a new book launched yesterday.

Terobosan PDRI dan Peranan TNI (The PDRI breakthrough and the role of TNI) was written by Islam Salim, a retired military officer who observed the Pemerintah Darurat Republik Indonesia (PDRI), or the Provisional Government of Republic of Indonesia, which lasted from December 1948 and July 1949.

Pustaka Sinar Harapan, which published the book, held a discussion yesterday to review that critical period of time when the country was besieged by the Dutch, who were trying to reimpose colonial rule in Indonesia.

Former environment minister Emil Salim, a cousin of the author, said the book reveals an important aspect of Indonesia's modern history which the nation has almost forgotten.

"The book has shown us the important roles and proper actions of some of the country's brave leaders," Emil said. "These leaders informed the world that Indonesia still existed and that a government was actually still in place."

The PDRI was established in Bukittinggi, West Sumatra, on Dec. 22, 1948, after Yogyakarta, then the capital of the young republic, fell to the Dutch military and president Sukarno and most cabinet ministers were arrested.

Economics minister of the time, Sjafroeddin Prawiranegara, set up the PDRI on the basis of a letter of authorization from Sukarno. The body immediately won international recognition as the legitimate government of Indonesia, denying the Dutch forces a diplomatic victory.

"Without the provisional government, Indonesia could have lost its independence," Emil said, noting that the United Nations only recognizes countries which have a government.

Emil said the book also reveals that certain military officers played a major role in establishing the provisional government, something that previously was not known.

"This shows that Indonesia's independence was not obtained in an easy way. It had to be taken from the colonial rulers by our predecessors with blood and sweat," he said.

The PDRI has been eclipsed by the role played by the republica's national army which went underground and continued the fight after Dutch forces took over Yogyakarta. A young man by the name of Soeharto, now the President, was one of the Army leaders that launched an attack on the Dutch in Yogyakarta.

Historians are divided over which of two events was more important: the army's going underground or Syaffroedin's setting up of the PDRI. Most history books emphasize the army's role, leaving the PDRI as mere footnote to history.

Sjafroeddin was discredited because of his association with an armed rebellion against Jakarta in the late 1950s.

The PDRI was dissolved on July 13, 1949, after the republican leaders were released and they withdrew the mandate that they had given to Sjafroeddin.

Minister of Security and Defense Edi Sudradjat was present at the discussion yesterday, although his comments were limited to general observations about Indonesia needing more people to write up about some aspects of the nation's history that have remained generally unknown.

Islam Salim is the son of Agus Salim, one of the early republican leaders who went on to serve as foreign minister. Born in Jakarta on July 14, 1923, Islam did not undergo formal schooling. He was taught by his father, who was an autodidact.

Islam spent his early life in the military, first as a member of the PETA, a militia set up during the Japanese occupation, and then as the founder of the Badan Keamanan Rakyat (People's Defense Agency), the forerunner of the Indonesian Armed Forces.

He served as Indonesia's military attache to China between 1952 and 1956, and spent seven further years in the government after his return. In 1967, he retired from public office and started his own business.

Among those attending the discussion yesterday were former police chief Gen. (ret.) Awaluddin Djamin, book publisher Aristides Katoppo and Lt. Gen. (ret.) Rais Abin. (imn)