Remembering proclamation of independence

JAKARTA (JP): One day a slave, the next day free.

Only those who have been subjected to oppression by foreign rules can understand the joy of freedom.

Indonesia's long and arduous journey came to an end on Aug. 17, 1945. The men who fought for liberty have long been given their place in Indonesian history, not so the women who supported them with their talent for caring.

The Jakarta Post presents the following reminiscences of when independence was announced. The women's side of the story has rarely been publicized, and their role in reaching independence is often considered insignificant. This time, it is our pleasure to give the reader a chance to also listen to the stories of women who have experienced the catastrophe of war and savored the smell of success.

Soeharto, President of the Republic of Indonesia:

Life is unpredictable.

President Soeharto, who has been in power for almost three decades, was a nobody when Sukarno and Mohamad Hatta proclaimed Indonesia independent on Aug. 17, 1945.

Soeharto didn't hear about the proclamation until the next day.

"In the beginning, I knew nothing about our independence," he said in his biography, Soeharto: Pikiran, Ucapan dan Tindakan Saya (Soeharto: My Thoughts, Sayings and Deeds).

The 24-year-old Soeharto was then komandan regu (commander of a group of troops) of a voluntary nationalist defense force established by Japanese colonial government called PETA. Japan took over Indonesia in 1942 after defeating the Netherlands, which had controlled Indonesia for 350 years.

Soeharto was training a group of soldiers in the middle of a teakwood forest in Brebeg, south of Madiun in East Java, when independence was proclaimed. He didn't get the news straight away because Japan tried to suppress the information.

On Aug. 18, soon after Soeharto finished training the soldiers, Japan disbanded the group, asking them to return their weapons and seizing their vehicle. The Japanese, however, said nothing about the proclamation.

Soeharto left for Madiun and later went to his home in Yogyakarta, where he heard about independence from his friends and family.

"Hearing the news, I thought: "Wow, this means vocation (to defend the country)," he said in the book.

Soeharto vows he long wanted to fight Japan because, as a PETA member, he observed that many Japanese officers had done things which were against his heart.

Now that Indonesia was free, Soeharto took the initiative to mobilize ex-PETA members as well as other nationalist youths and started to fight Japan. The Japanese troops were reluctant to recognize Indonesia's independence, even though they had lost World War II. Japan surrendered after the Americans dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945.

Soeharto then took an active role in the defense of the country from both foreigners and rebels who wanted to topple the legal government, including the Indonesian Communist Party.

The hard work paid off. He replaced Soekarno in 1968 and still retains power.

Frida Pandjaitan, 68: In 1945, I lived in my village in Silaen, North Sumatra. I was still single then. On Aug. 17, 1945, I went to the village center, which was a mile from my house, with my family and we learned that we were free. Everyone shouted, "Free!" or "We are free!" I was happy of course, but I was still unsure whether our country was 100 percent free, because after that the Dutch came and tried to take over the country again. The first time I felt sure that our country was absolutely safe and free, was when President Sukarno came to our village in 1948 and gave a speech on freedom. He was a great leader, I liked him a lot. He even touched my son, who was 10 months old, saying, "I hope that you'll be a person who'll play a big role in our development."

The funny thing was, while everyone was talking about freedom, I was going to get married. I had several choices, and because now I had my "freedom of speech", I wanted to choose my mate. My father said, though, that I couldn't do it. "Why?" I asked him. "Even though we are free now, in this case I have to decide who your mate will be," he said. He chose a man who was a soldier at the time. I was happy of course, but still it was somewhat ironic to think that although the country was free, I still could not choose my own husband.

Burhanuddin Muhammad Diah, 78, kept the original hand-written proclamation text for 47 years before handing it over to President Soeharto on May 19, 1992.

"I kept it because I was afraid it would go missing," he told The Jakarta Post at his house on Thursday.

He said he handed over the original proclamation text to President Soeharto upon the advice of Gen.(ret.) Tjokropranolo, the former Jakarta governor.

Diah, a journalist, was in the house of Rear Admiral Maeda on Jl. Imam Bonjol, Central Jakarta, where a meeting discussing the proclamation was held from the evening of Aug. 16, 1945 until four the next morning.

"After the draft of the proclamation text was written, Sukarno asked Sajuti Melik (a participant of the meeting) to type it. Sajuti then gave the typed text to Soekarno and left the original one on the desk," he said.

"I took the original text and put it on my pocket," he explained.

Diah said he later printed leaflets about the proclamation and spread them throughout the city early on the morning of Aug. 17.

Japanese troops later seized the leaflets from people but they did nothing to Diah.

Before Indonesia proclaimed independence, there had been a conflict between revolutionary youths and their seniors. The young people insisted that the proclamation must take place right away, but Soekarno, who was also head of the team in charge of preparing for Indonesia's independence, said he would meet with the other members of his team first.

According to Diah, at 3 a.m. of Aug. 16, a group of revolutionary youths kidnapped Soekarno and Hatta and hid them in Rengasdengklok, West Java.

While Soekarno and Hatta were in Rengasdengklok, a representative of the revolutionary youths, Wikana, met with Ahmad Subardjo, an intellectual close to Soekarno. The youths agreed to release Soekarno and Hatta after Subardjo guaranteed that Soekarno would immediately proclaim independence.

Upon arriving in Jakarta at about 7 p.m. of Aug. 16, Soekarno and Hatta held a meeting at Admiral Maeda's house to draft the proclamation, according to Diah.

The proclamation text was written by Hatta, Soekarno and Subardjo. The meeting finished at 4 a.m. on Aug. 17, 1945.

Diah said that Soekarno had earlier planned to read the proclamation text at Ikada square, located in the heart of the city. However, the plan was changed because the square was blocked by Japanese troops. Therefore, Soekarno read the text in the front yard of his house on Jl. Pegangsaan Timur 56 (now Jl. Proklamasi), at 10:30 a.m.

"I didn't witness the proclamation text because I was at Ikeda square when he read it," he said with regret.

Diah founded the Merdeka (Freedom) daily in October 1945. He was the Indonesian ambassador for Czechoslovakia, the United Kingdom and Burma before being appointed minister of information in 1968. He is married to Herawati Diah, a journalist and owner of the Hyatt Aryaduta Hotel.

A.T. Mahmud, an educator and children's song writer: I was 15 years old and a member of Tentara Pelajar Indonesia (Indonesian student corps) in Prabumulih, South Sumatra when Indonesia proclaimed its independence.

However, people outside Jakarta were late in learning about it due to lack of information and communication media. At that time, we were still involved in a tough battle against the Japanese in the Palembang area. The battle lasted for about a week. Although most of the corps members were still young, we sincerely helped the Indonesian Army by acting, for example, as couriers. I was very proud to join the student corps and my parents, especially my mother, always encouraged me.

My mother always made a lunch box of rice and salt. At that time, it was a luxury to have rice. I was always cheerful and happy, but when a friend stepped on a land mine a dreadful sense began to develop within me. To eliminate the bad feeling, I kept singing and humming. My experience in joining the student corps inspired me to write several songs, including Maju Berjuang.

It was only several weeks later that the news of Indonesia's independence reached South Sumatra. We received the news with mixed emotions. Many of us did not believe that it was true, but others started to celebrate.

The most impressive experience during the period was the strong kinship between the army and rural community. Every time we passed a village, all the people readily provided us with medicine, bamboo and clothes.

I feel very sad that the government pays little attention to the development of rural people because they played an important role in supporting the army during the struggle for independence.

Erliana Sembiring, 74, head of the Central Jakarta Headquarters of the Indonesian Red Cross, said she was not surprised to hear on the radio on Aug. 17, 1945, that Indonesia had gained its independence.

"I knew the time would come," she said.

Erliana was a 23-year-old nurse at Imanuel Hospital in Bandung when Indonesia announced it was free.

She said that every night, before Indonesia declared its independence, most nurses in the hospital's dormitory listened to Bung Tomo's (a national hero) speeches on the radio about the people's struggle for the freedom.

"How could we loose if everybody took part in the struggle?" she asked.

Japan had been defeated but the people had to fight for another five years to drive the Dutch and the allied forces out of Indonesia. Many were killed and wounded and nurses had to work hard to take care of the injured.

"There were so many people who were sent to our hospital. Up to ten people had to be operated on everyday," Erliana said.

On March 23, 1946, her 24th birthday, Bandung was burned down by Indonesian freedom fighters.

"We fled to Ciparai, which was 12 kilometer south of Bandung. Our team consisted of four men and four women and there was an ambulance, a car and a mini open truck to carry the equipment.

"We left the hospital at 8 o'clock in the evening but it wasn't until four in the morning that we arrived in Ciparai. We couldn't get there earlier because there were so many people fleeing," she said.

The team then went wherever they were needed most.

"What really impressed me was the fact that the soldiers still said 'Freedom', even though they were dying," Erliana recalled.

Erliana said people suffered most during the Japanese occupation. There was not enough food and clothes for the people. Many starved to death on the street.

"At the hospital, all of the Dutch physicians were replaced with Japanese. And whenever we encountered them, we had to bow our heads, otherwise we would be beaten," she said.

The Dutch, who controlled the hospital before the Japanese troops came, were very disciplined, according to Erliana, who headed the Jakarta chapter of the Indonesian Midwives' Association in the 1980s.

"I have to admit that today we are less disciplined," she said.

Soekanto S.A., a writer and an editor: I was living in a small village in Tegal, Central Java when Sukarno and Hatta declared Indonesia's independence. My father was an employee of a sugar factory belonging to a Dutch company. My family lived in front of the director's house in the factory's housing complex. Feeling superior to the factory's employees, called inlander (indigenous people), the director's children always insulted us. Sometimes these Dutch children threw stones at our house.

Although the Dutch colonial rule was over, there were still many Dutch people in the village. Many of them were not bureaucrats but entrepreneurs managing various companies, including the sugar factory. At that time, Japan had already occupied Indonesia and our lives were very miserable. We didn't have food or clothes. Our daily meal was only casava leftovers which were actually fit only for pigs. Most of our clothes were made of rough fiber that attracted insects to roam our bodies.

As I lived in a remote village, I hardly heard any news from Jakarta. Nobody in the village owned a radio, the only means of communication available during that period. Therefore, nobody in the village realized that Indonesia had gained its freedom.

News about Indonesia's independence finally reached the village several weeks later when a youth group equipped with bambu runcing (bamboo spears) enthusiastically yelled merdeka, merdeka...merdeka along the village's rocky alleys. Although independence usually had no immediate impact on many rural people, in my village the impact was vivid. Independence more or less influenced the behavior of the Dutch community in my village.

These Dutch people did not dare to treat their employees badly. Another important point was the director's children didn't dare throw stones at our house again. We could even challenge them.

Mrs. Azhar Musa, a former youth freedom fighter: I joined a youth group, Poetra Indonesia, in Tilatang Kamang, Agam regency, West Sumatra several years prior to independence. The group was actively involved in various socio-political discussions led by school teachers and political figures in the regency.

The discussions and meetings were aimed at arousing political awareness among the youth. I was lucky that my school teachers were so well-educated that they taught us about democracy and other knowledge.

I lived in an Islamic boarding school where my senior friends were active in the independence movement in the regency. The news of Indonesia's independence spread through our senior friends.

All the people in the regency came out from their houses and passionately sang Indonesia Raya. We were all thrilled. But, the happy times were very short because Dutch troops arrived again in l948. Their arrival, known as the second military aggression, was considered as the real battle for many of people in the regency. All members of the Indonesian Army (TRI), led by Hasyrul Datuk Rangkayo Boga, along with the youth group worked together to defend the country's independence.

To help the Indonesian army, about 70 young girls established a special unit to help victims of the war and their families. We mobilized all villagers to provide medicine, food, clothes and even ammunition for our fighters.

Although most members were quite young, they were not afraid to plunge into the battle to help the soldiers. Quite often, we saw pieces of bodies of both Indonesian and Dutch soldiers, along the forest's paths. It was such a usual panorama for us. I happened to treat a breast-feeding mother whose body was shattered by a land mine. I could not eat for almost ten days.

But the war also gave us a happy and romantic memory. Many 1young girls sent caring letters and poetry to the soldiers just to make them happy. Some of them had even married. It was really a blessing. To share our experience and memories, all members of the units who are still alive will take part in a special gathering to commemorate Indonesia's 50th anniversary in Bukittinggi on Aug. 15.

S.R. Simatupang, 75: In the 1940s I lived in Pematang Siantar, North Sumatra, working as a teacher. I taught women's skills at a Dutch school. I taught the students how to cook, to knit and many other skills. When the Japanese came, I stopped teaching. I got married in 1942 and returned to Medan with my uncle who was the deputy head of the post office there (the head was always a Dutch or a Japanese). In Medan, I was active in PERWARI (the Association of Indonesian Women) and also worked in a civilian kitchen cooking for the soldiers. I heard Sukarno and Hatta's announcement on the radio. I was extremely happy because it meant the country was free from foreign rule. My hope was at the time that our country would be a secure and prosperous country.

After 50 years, I have seen a lot of development in this country, the tremendous boost in technology among others. But also, I have seen some things that the country lacks: the lack of justice, and the lack in fighting for justice in general. I always read the paper and often read news that proves my point. I really hope that we will be better in this area. I also hope that this 50 years of independence will be celebrated not by just one class of people, but by everyone. That has been my dream since 1945. It will always be my dream to have a prosperous and secure country so people can enjoy the taste of freedom our predecessors fought for.

Mrs. Johanna Nasution, a freedom fighter and a dedicated social worker:

"All people in Bandung, West Java cried and were thrilled when they heard the news about the country's independence, although the news came a day later on Aug. 18, l945 " reminisced Johanna Nasution, 72.

Her father Raden Panji Gondo Kusumo and her uncle R.P. Soeroso were prominent freedom fighters.

"It was such a great day that I will never forget it for the rest of my life. Everybody shouted Merdeka, Merdeka," she recalled.

Although Indonesia was now free from colonialism, they were still uncertain about their future. The battles between the Indonesian army and the Japanese and the British troops (represented by Gurkha soldiers) were still going on.

As a daughter of a leading figure, Johanna Nasution, now popularly called Ibu Nas, was familiar with various socio- political movements preceding the country's independence.

"The country's struggle to defend its independence was still continuing. A series of military attacks could happen at any time," her father warned.

To anticipate the worst situation, Johanna, her sisters and brothers, and several friends such as Etty Soebagio and Toety Soemanagara established a special Indonesian Red Cross camp at Dr. Purwo's residence on Tuindorp street, now Jl. Lengkong Besar, in South Bandung.

The Gurkhas then bombed Bandung, particularly the city's southern areas. Using small planes and tanks the Gurkha shelled areas near Hotel Preanger (now located on Jl. Asia-Afrika), Jl. Asia Raya and Jl Lengkong Besar. The Gurkhas' raid was also aimed at switching the attention of the Indonesian corps, represented by the Hisbullah, in order to evacuate the Dutch population and other foreign citizen living in the city.

The battle was one-sided since the Hisbullah troops were only equipped with spears and bambu runcing (bamboo spears). The Red Cross had to wait until the afternoon to search for casualties. "We found about 80 dead Hisbullah soldiers lying in the streets, alleys, backyards and in the gutters. This was my first scary experience during the war," said Ibu Nas.

The dead were buried and the wounded treated. One of the wounded soldiers was a young handsome soldier called Abdul Haris Nasution. "I already had known him for quite a long time. We met at a tennis court in Bandung in l941," said Ibu Nas. Nasution was still a corporal at the Bandung Military Academy. Nasution came to join our tennis club. My affection for him grew when he was taken to our camp, she said.

Nasution was seriously wounded in the forehead by mortar shrapnel. "When I treated his wounded, my heart beat so fast and maybe we shared the same feeling. At that time our love began to bloom," Ibu Nas recalled with a smile.

The young lovers had to separate temporarily as Nasution had to join the Indonesian Army to fight the Gurkhas. The battle between these two enemies had become so severe that the Indonesian army decided to burn the city to expel the Gurkha troops. The event is remembered as Bandung Lautan Api.

Since the battle was concentrated in Soreang and Ciwidey, south of Bandung, the first aid camp was moved nearby the battlefields, she explained.

Ibu Nas worked as a nurse at an emergency Red Cross hospital in South Bandung. "We were very busy taking care of injured soldiers and I had a very sad experience when I found the headless body of my cousin Suroto who died at a battle in south Soreang," said Ibu Nas.

"Looking back at my own sad and happy memories during the war period, I am so grateful to witness the country's 50th anniversary of independence," Ibu Nas stated.

"It is our duty to realize every dream to build our country. We can work in various fields to create a happy and prosperous society," Ibu Nas reminded.

After Indonesia gained independence, Ibu Nas continued to work for the country. She is widely recognized as a humanitarian who supports Indonesian social and educational activities.

Her contribution to Indonesia is very evident. For her merit, she has been awarded several honors from both the Indonesian government and several international organizations. The awards include the Satya Lencana Kebaktian Sosial (l975), the Paul Harris Award from the Rotary Club in l980, the Magsaysay Award from the Philippine government in l981, and the Helena de Montigny Stichting from the Netherlands in l982. (sim/raw/07)