Veterans hope youngsters appreciate sacrifice

Veterans hope youngsters appreciate sacrifice

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia celebrated its 56th Independence Day
on Friday with many celebrations held in housing complexes,
offices and schools. Malls were full of red and white decorations
and even TV stations broadcast special programs for the
occasion.

The younger generation may identify Independence Day with
parties and a day off, an issue which sparks concern among older
people who joined the struggle to secure and uphold Indonesia's
independence.

"I have never met people who are really interested in our
story," said 78-year-old Oetaryo, a retired Army major. "It is a
pity, I am afraid that the history will disappear if no one
respects and preserves it."

"Surprisingly, such lack of attention is also evident among
our historians ... how terrible we are," he said in a defeated
tone.

"The main thing that I want people to consider, especially
young people, is that the struggle to achieve our independence
demonstrated the country's dignity. I think our late heroes, if
they could, would now be crying to see that Indonesia has been
struggling with poverty and has a bad image as a country that
always begs other countries (for funds)."

Despite expressing his concern, Oetaryo and veteran colleagues
-- all of them in their 70s -- also shared an event they
experienced in the war after joining the "mercy conveyance"
operation.

This involved the transportation of Japanese troops (after
Japan was defeated in the Second World War) and the Allied
Prisoners of War and Internees (APWI) under the name Panitia
Oeroesan Pengangkoetan Djepang dan APWI (POPDA, the Committee of
the Affairs of Transporting Japanese and APWI).

The operation, carried out by 80,000 members of Tentara
Keamanan Rakyat (People's Security Soldiers), took place between
Apr. 24, 1946, and Nov. 30, 1946, according to the book Sejarah
Diplomasi Republik Indonesia dari Masa ke Masa (A History of
Republic of Indonesia Diplomacy from Era to Era).

Thirty-five thousand Japanese troops were kept on Galang
Island and about 45,000 prisoners, mostly women and children,
were sent to camps in Jakarta before being transported to their
countries of origin by the Allied Forces.

"We had to search for Japanese troops and APWI throughout the
country. The task couldn't be accomplished by the Allied Forces
as small towns and hinterlands were under the authority of
Indonesian soldiers," said Rachmat Sumengkar, who supervised the
transportation of 180 APWI from Madura to Probolinggo in East
Java on June 9, 1946.

"When I transported APWI to Probolinggo, a Dutch warship
blocked our way and demanded to take over the evacuation process.
Of course, the Dutch breached the agreement that had been reached
between Indonesia and Britain (which led the Allied Forces).
That's why Indonesia stopped the POPDA operation after the third
week of July 1946," the retired Navy rear admiral said.

The operation was then resumed between Sept. 13 and Oct. 19,
1946, only after the Allied Forces guaranteed there would be no
further interference in the evacuation.

Veterans expressed their high appreciation to the people who
helped them during the war.

"It was impossible for us (the soldiers) to face the Dutch
(within the Allied Forces) without the people's help," said
another veteran, Jopie Bolang, 74, a retired Army captain who was
involved in the POPDA operation in West Java.

"People in suburban areas cooperated closely with national
soldiers by providing us with food and shelter."

Jopie said he was touched every time he remembered the
people's help that saved the soldiers' lives.

"The people risked their own lives by remaining silent as to
local soldiers' whereabouts. The Dutch could have shot them
whenever they failed to inform them of our hiding places. They
could also have burned down an entire kampung (village) if they
couldn't find us."

"We owe the people very much," said Jopie, hoping that the
younger generation could acknowledge their sacrifice. (ind)