SUMPAH PEMUDA

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Indonesia Unite — “Sumpah Pemuda” Reborn?

Earlier today Mike and I was interviewed by the ABC Radio Australia regarding the new movement by the young digital generation in Indonesia. There is one question that Tito Ambyo, the interviewer, asked me that I still thought about for hours into the evening after the interview was over. He asked me what I thought about the statement that Indonesia Unite was like “Sumpah Pemuda” reborn. In the interview I answered that to an extent it probably was, considering that both movement was and is for promoting the idea of united Indonesia.
“Sumpah Pemuda” was a declaration on Oct 28, 1928 by young Indonesian nationalists to proclaim one motherland, one nation, one language. The declaration was known as the Youth Pledge or “Sumpah Pemuda”.

During the Dutch colonization, the political movement of “adu domba” (playing one against the other) seperated the people of the land which at the time was known as the Dutch East Indies. Indonesia is the biggest archipelagic state in the whole world, comprised of 17,000 islands… united (if not seperated) by oceans, seas and straits. We have hundreds of different cultures and 300 different languages and dialects; not to mention the different beliefs and religion the people embrace. Given the rich diversity Indonesia has, it is very easy to disunite the people. It is the one thing that was an advantage taken by the Dutch.

The politics of “adu domba” by the Dutch made it possible for them to stay on our soil for 350 years until at one point in history, the young generation of 1928 arose and basically declared unity, having learned the fact that “Bersatu kita teguh, bercerai kita runtuh”, which means “United we stand, divided we fall.”

In today’s Indonesia, it has a different setting. Unlike the generation of 1928, digital Indonesia of 2009 is not facing colonizing “adu domba” politics. Today’s generation just started to experience real freedom from 350 years of colonization and 32 years of dictatorship. This is the first generation that actually has a more vague memory of the fear and terror of past defeat by both colonial domination and tyrannt government.

Shortly after the new freedom in 1998, fear and terror of another type of domination, Islamic radicals’, almost overcame them. After the last bombing in 2004, thanks to the great work of the government and the help of Australia, the generation of Indonesia Unite finally got to embrace their new freedom… for 5 years… and two new bombs shook Indonesia.

Although still learning how to handle new freedom and young democracy, a fresh sense of nationalism and anger arose. It was only after they tasted a little bit of freedom, that they understood what it meant to have it taken away from them. Indonesia Unite didn’t rise 5 years ago when the first terrorist attacks happened. It rose only after Indonesians tasted freedom, so that they refuse to live without it anymore.

Against colonial domination or terror by Islam radicals, the same spirit of unity has grown in young Indonesians empowering this generation to stand for their country and actually make a difference, just as they did in 1928.

Back to the question by the interviewer, “Is Indonesia Unite ‘Sumpah Pemuda’ reborn?” In terms of promoting unity, yes. But the movement Indonesia Unite has yet to prove that with the size of the masses and supporters (which is growing every minute) they are actually doing far greater things than what was done in 1928.

Although I would be most honored to be historically recorded as being involved in something like “Sumpah Pemuda” reborn, Indonesia Unite still needs to concretely act and build on this spirit to actually be considered in the same level

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

SUMPAH PEMUDA

Oleh: Didik, ali, budi
Peranan pemuda dalam pergerakan nasional dimulai sejak berdirinya Budi Utomo tanggal 20 Mei 1908. Dalam perkembangan selanjutnya, organisasi itu lebih banyak diikuti oleh golongan tua. Oleh karena itu, para pemuda selalu ingin menggalang kekuatan yang merupakan pencerminan aktivitas para pemuda. Pada tanggal 7 Maret 1915, di Jakarta, para pemuda seperti dr. R. Satiman Wirjosandjojo, Kadarman, dan Sunardi mendirikan organisasi kepemudaan yang keanggotaannya terdiri dari anak sekolah menengah di Jawa dan Madura.

Perkumpulan itu diberi nama Trikoro Dharmo. Trikoro Dharmo artinya tiga tujuan mulia yang meliputi: sakti, budi, dan bakti. Tujuan perkumpulan ini adalah mencapai Jawa Raya dengan cara memperkokoh rasa persatuan antar pemuda Jawa, Madura, Sunda, Bali, dan Lombok.
Keberadaan organisasi yang bersifat kedaerahan itu melahirkan keinginan untuk menciptakan wadah tunggal pemuda Indonesia. Kongres Pemuda Pertama dilaksanakan mulai tanggal 30 April 1926 sampai dengan 2 Mei 1926 di Jakarta.
Tujuan yang ingin dicapai dalam Kongres Pemuda I ini adalah menanamkan semangat kerja sama antar perkumpulan pemuda di Indonesia. Oleh karena itu, ada upaya untuk membentuk wadah federasi dari organisasi pemuda Indonesia. Pada tanggal 31 Agustus 1926, disahkan perhimpunan baru yang bernama Jong Indonesia.
Perjuangan untuk menyatukan kehendak para pemuda akhirnya menjadi kenyataan. Atas inisisatif PPPI, pada tanggal 27-28 Oktober 1928, dilaksanakan Kongres Pemuda Indonesia II yang tujuannya:
1. Melahirkan cita-cita semua perkumpulan pemuda-pemuda Indonesia,
2. Membicarakan beberapa masalah pergerakan pemuda Indonesia,
3. Memperkuat kesadaran kebangsaan Indonesia dan memperteguh persatuan Indonesia.
Kongres yang mengambil keputusan untuk mengadakan fusi dan berbagai perkumpulan pemuda itu akhirnya melahirkan suatu momentum yang berupa Sumpah Pemuda yang rinciannya sebagai berikut:
PERTAMA:
KAMI POETRA DAN POETRI INDONESIA MENGAKOE
BERTOEMPAH DARAH SATOE, TANAH INDONESIA
KEDUA:
KAMI POETRA DAN POETRI INDONESIA MENGAKOE
BERBANGSA JANG SATOE, BANGSA INDONESIA
KETIGA:
KAMI POETRA DAN POETRI INDONESIA MENGAKOE
MENJOENJOENG BAHASA PERSATOEAN, BAHASA INDONESIA
Keputusan yang kemudian disebut Sumpah Pemuda oleh Bangsa Indonesia tersebut diperingati tiap tahun sebagai “Hari Sumpah Pemuda” dan sekaligus “Hari Pemuda
Bab V Proses Terbentuknya Kesadaran Nasional 81
Indonesia”. Selain mengucapkan sumpah, pada saat itu diperkenalkan “Lagu Kebangsaan Indonesia Raya” yang diciptakan oleh Wage Rudolf Supratman danpengibaran bendera “Pusaka” Sang Merah Putih.