ID :
136571
Sat, 08/07/2010 - 20:53
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/136571
The shortlink copeid
DISCOVERING AUSTRALIA'S ROLE IN SUPPORTING INDONESIAN INDEPENDENCE By: Ageng Wibowo
Jakarta, Aug 7 (ANTARA) - Many people today may be unaware of the fact that during Indonesia's struggle for independence in 1945, Australia played an active role in supporting the Indonesian people's cause.
Now, to mark the 65th anniversary of Indonesia's Proclamation of Independence, the Australian embassy on August 5 opened an exhibition of photos showing Australians' active support for the fledgling republic.
Staged at the Asia-African Conference Museum in Bandung, West Java, the exhibition which is to run until August 31, 2010 documented the fact that Indonesians and Australians found that they had much in common, at both personal and political level,
The support of Australians to the new republic in 1945 eventually became a strong foundation for the two nations bilateral relations over the years although defending its proclamation of independence was a long winding journey for Indonesia.
"Sympathy and active support for Indonesia's struggle for independence came not only from the Australian government, but also from ordinary Australians and was seen as a major turning point in the relationship," said Australian Charge d' Affaires to Indonesia when opening the exhibition.
The photographs displayed at the event enable present-day people to learn more about the strong people-to-people links between the two neighboring countries and how they played a significant role during Indonesia's struggle.
The pictures exhibited are from the National Library of Australia and the Australian War Memorial Museum,
Australian support for Indonesian independence was wide spread, and manifested among other things in a harbor workers' boycott of Dutch ships and marches of Australian citizens in some cities.
Support for Indonesian independence in Australia at the time was given in four ways, namely Australian troop support for Indonesian independence, actions by Indonesians in Australia, Australian people's activities and Australian government support.
Australian troop support for Indonesia's independence lasted from August 1945 to January 1946 when 50,000 Australian soldiers were involved in the post-war administration of all Indonesia.
Their tasks were to accept the surrender of the Japanese troops, free Allied prisoners of war.
After the Dutch surrender to Japan in 1942, a Netherlands East Indies government-in-exile was established in Australia.
The Dutch evacuation brought to Australia some 10,000 Indonesians including merchants, seamen, servicemen, civil servants and political prisoners. These people formed organizations throughout Australia to channel nationalist sentimentas even well before the Proclamation of Independence in Jakarta on August 17, 1945.
After Japan's surrender and the proclamation of independence, the Indonesians struggle against the re-establishment of colonialism began in earnest.
Popular support in Australia for the independence thwarted the efforts of the colonial power to re-establish itself in Indonesia, focused world attention on the dispute and provided valuable time for the Indonesian republic to consolidate itself.
Following the military offensive against Indonesian by Dutch troops in July 1947, Australia took the issue to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) as a breach of peace. It was then that Article 39 of the United Nations Charter was invoked in defense of Indonesia's independence.
A United Nations Good Offices team was formed to resolve the dispute between Indonesia and the Netherlands.
Indonesia chose Australia as its representative on the team while Belgium was chosen to represent the Dutch and the United States was the third country. The team's efforts ultimately resulted in the international community's recognition of Indonesian independence.
According to Hamzah Theyev, director general of Asia-Africa affairs at the Indonesian Foreign Affairs Ministry, the personal touch of this relation was started when the Australian representative in the Good Offices team , Thomas Sritchley, came to Indonesia on December 7, 1948, to meet President Soekarno in Yogjakarta, Central Java.
"When he (Thomas Sritchley) arrived in Batavia as Jakarta was then called, he was accompanied by a young Indonesian man to see President Soekarno in Jogjakarta, well that young man was my father," Hamzah said proudly at the photo exhibition's opening.
According to Hamzah, nowadays both governments might issue policies for the G to G (Governmental) level relations and businessmen may cooperate at the B to B (Business to Business) level.
Hamzah said it was the P-to-P (people-to-people) level relations that must also be maintained and strengthened to build a strong relationship.
The photo exhibition was a way to build mutual and stronger common ground among both nations.
Both countries which are located very close to each other geographically could not but cooperate , but all the matters that occurred along the way needed to be solved in a friendly manner as friends, he said.
Now, to mark the 65th anniversary of Indonesia's Proclamation of Independence, the Australian embassy on August 5 opened an exhibition of photos showing Australians' active support for the fledgling republic.
Staged at the Asia-African Conference Museum in Bandung, West Java, the exhibition which is to run until August 31, 2010 documented the fact that Indonesians and Australians found that they had much in common, at both personal and political level,
The support of Australians to the new republic in 1945 eventually became a strong foundation for the two nations bilateral relations over the years although defending its proclamation of independence was a long winding journey for Indonesia.
"Sympathy and active support for Indonesia's struggle for independence came not only from the Australian government, but also from ordinary Australians and was seen as a major turning point in the relationship," said Australian Charge d' Affaires to Indonesia when opening the exhibition.
The photographs displayed at the event enable present-day people to learn more about the strong people-to-people links between the two neighboring countries and how they played a significant role during Indonesia's struggle.
The pictures exhibited are from the National Library of Australia and the Australian War Memorial Museum,
Australian support for Indonesian independence was wide spread, and manifested among other things in a harbor workers' boycott of Dutch ships and marches of Australian citizens in some cities.
Support for Indonesian independence in Australia at the time was given in four ways, namely Australian troop support for Indonesian independence, actions by Indonesians in Australia, Australian people's activities and Australian government support.
Australian troop support for Indonesia's independence lasted from August 1945 to January 1946 when 50,000 Australian soldiers were involved in the post-war administration of all Indonesia.
Their tasks were to accept the surrender of the Japanese troops, free Allied prisoners of war.
After the Dutch surrender to Japan in 1942, a Netherlands East Indies government-in-exile was established in Australia.
The Dutch evacuation brought to Australia some 10,000 Indonesians including merchants, seamen, servicemen, civil servants and political prisoners. These people formed organizations throughout Australia to channel nationalist sentimentas even well before the Proclamation of Independence in Jakarta on August 17, 1945.
After Japan's surrender and the proclamation of independence, the Indonesians struggle against the re-establishment of colonialism began in earnest.
Popular support in Australia for the independence thwarted the efforts of the colonial power to re-establish itself in Indonesia, focused world attention on the dispute and provided valuable time for the Indonesian republic to consolidate itself.
Following the military offensive against Indonesian by Dutch troops in July 1947, Australia took the issue to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) as a breach of peace. It was then that Article 39 of the United Nations Charter was invoked in defense of Indonesia's independence.
A United Nations Good Offices team was formed to resolve the dispute between Indonesia and the Netherlands.
Indonesia chose Australia as its representative on the team while Belgium was chosen to represent the Dutch and the United States was the third country. The team's efforts ultimately resulted in the international community's recognition of Indonesian independence.
According to Hamzah Theyev, director general of Asia-Africa affairs at the Indonesian Foreign Affairs Ministry, the personal touch of this relation was started when the Australian representative in the Good Offices team , Thomas Sritchley, came to Indonesia on December 7, 1948, to meet President Soekarno in Yogjakarta, Central Java.
"When he (Thomas Sritchley) arrived in Batavia as Jakarta was then called, he was accompanied by a young Indonesian man to see President Soekarno in Jogjakarta, well that young man was my father," Hamzah said proudly at the photo exhibition's opening.
According to Hamzah, nowadays both governments might issue policies for the G to G (Governmental) level relations and businessmen may cooperate at the B to B (Business to Business) level.
Hamzah said it was the P-to-P (people-to-people) level relations that must also be maintained and strengthened to build a strong relationship.
The photo exhibition was a way to build mutual and stronger common ground among both nations.
Both countries which are located very close to each other geographically could not but cooperate , but all the matters that occurred along the way needed to be solved in a friendly manner as friends, he said.
