Tjokroaminoto, Freedom’s Leading Light
()
About this ebook
OVER the past two months, many of us at Proklamasi 72 were immersed in history books and documents. A number of the publications are originals, others photocopies. The titles vary, but all the books relate to Oemar Said Tjokroaminoto, known as the ‘mentor’ to the Republic’s founders.
The books are part of the Tempo library collection, some newly purchased. A good number resulted from the ‘hunting expeditions’ of Philipus Parera, Tempo Bureau Chief in Yogyakarta, who visited the library of Cokroaminoto University there.
As in previous issues, while still working on our regular assignments, we also prepared a special Independence Day edition for August 17. This year we chose Tjokroaminoto as the figure to focus on, because of his central role as the vanguard of democracy movements at the start of our struggle to become a republic. This magazine has written a series of special editions on the Fathers of the Nation, such as Sukarno, Moh. Hatta, Sjahrir and Tan Malaka, which have been republished by the Kepustakaan Populer Gramedia. This special edition on Tjokroaminoto is aimed at enhancing those series.
A meeting to plan for this issue at Citarik, West Java last year decided that we would take no more than two months to come up with this special edition. Budi Setyarso, managing editor of the political section, was the lead person, ably assisted by Sunudyantoro, Yandhrie Arvian and Oktamanjaya Wiguna. They collected books, contacted resource persons and coordinated the assignments of our regional reporters.
Sunudyantoro, a journalist from Trenggalek, East Java and graduate of International Relations at Gadjah Mada University, was so engrossed in this special edition, that he quoted often from Tjokroaminoto’s speeches on his Twitter account.
We invited a few descendents of Tjokro for discussions at the Tempo office, among them Haryono Sigit, former rector of the November 11 Institute of Technology in Surabaya. Sigit is the son of Oetari, the daughter and second child of Tjokro. Present at the discussions was also Anie Hidayat, daughter of Anwar Tjokro and wife of the current Industry Minister.
Surrounded by a forest of teak trees, the house where Tjokro once lived is only 500 meters from a station through which the Surabaya-Solo-Yogya trains pass. He lived there with his second wife, a former stage performer from Solo. Our reporters traced his movements in Surabaya and Solo, the two cities which fostered his development. Illustrator Kiagus Aliansyah was assigned to Solo so he could breathe in the history of Tjokroaminoto and his era, better to create credible but readable infographics.
Dear readers, this special report is not intended to supplant a history book. We have used a journalistic approach so that the Tjokroaminoto story makes for ‘essential easy-reading’ in line with the motto of this magazine. The short bibliography below lists some of the publications we relied on to prepare this issue. Happy reading!
Related to Tjokroaminoto, Freedom’s Leading Light
Titles in the series (12)
Sudirman, The Soldier from Banyumas Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Tan Malaka, Forgotten Founding Father Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Ernest Douwes Dekker, A Nation Inspired Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Musso and the Madiun Movement Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5Tjokroaminoto, Freedom’s Leading Light Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSarwo Edhie Revisited, 1965 PKI Nemesis Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Njoto and The G30S Tragedy Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Kartosoewirjo, An Impossible Dream Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSutan Sjahrir, Little Brother’s Lasting Legacy Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSuharto, Farewell to the King Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Sjam Kamaruzaman, A Ghost in the G30S Machine Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Natsir, Rebel Without A Pause Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5
Related ebooks
Sudirman, The Soldier from Banyumas Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Kartosoewirjo, An Impossible Dream Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSutan Sjahrir, Little Brother’s Lasting Legacy Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTan Malaka, Forgotten Founding Father Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Suharto, Farewell to the King Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Musso and the Madiun Movement Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5Ernest Douwes Dekker, A Nation Inspired Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Indonesian Army from Revolusi to Reformasi Volume 1: The Struggle for Independence and the Sukarno Era Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsRubbing Shoulders with Two Presidents: The Gentler Sides of Soekarno and Suharto Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Killing Season: A History of the Indonesian Massacres, 1965-66 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Sukarno: A Biography Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Natsir, Rebel Without A Pause Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5The Chinese in Indonesia: An English Translation of Hoakiau di Indonesia Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5China, Class Collaboration, and the Killing Fields of Indonesia in 1965 Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Njoto and The G30S Tragedy Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Indonesian Idioms and Expressions: Colloquial Indonesian at Work Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Economists with Guns: Authoritarian Development and U.S.-Indonesian Relations, 1960-1968 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Man Tiger: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Sjam Kamaruzaman, A Ghost in the G30S Machine Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Sarwo Edhie Revisited, 1965 PKI Nemesis Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Island of Java Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Indonesian Army from Revolusi to Reformasi: Volume 3: Soeharto's Fall and the Reformasi Era Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Indonesian Army from Revolusi to Reformasi: Volume 2: Soeharto and the New Order Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLetters of a Javanese Princess Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5From Jail to Jail Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsIndonesia: Archipelago of Fear Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5The Makings of Indonesian Islam: Orientalism and the Narration of a Sufi Past Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTempo Dulu Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLand for the People: The State and Agrarian Conflict in Indonesia Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Historical Biographies For You
The Diary of a Young Girl Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Master Slave Husband Wife: An Epic Journey from Slavery to Freedom Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Vanderbilt: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Summary of The 1619 Project: by Nikole Hannah-Jones - A Comprehensive Summary Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Indifferent Stars Above: The Harrowing Saga of the Donner Party Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Devil's Chessboard: Allen Dulles, the CIA, and the Rise of America's Secret Government Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Gulag Archipelago: The Authorized Abridgement Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Book of Charlie: Wisdom from the Remarkable American Life of a 109-Year-Old Man Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Seven Pillars of Wisdom: A Triumph Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Girls of Atomic City: The Untold Story of the Women Who Helped Win World War II Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Diary of Anne Frank (The Definitive Edition) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Black Like Me: The Definitive Griffin Estate Edition Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Moveable Feast Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Profiles in Courage: Deluxe Modern Classic Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Shakespeare: The World as Stage Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5King Leopold's Ghost: A Story of Greed, Terror, and Heroism in Colonial Africa Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Leonardo da Vinci Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Coreyography: A Memoir Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Devil and Harper Lee Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Seven Pillars of Wisdom (Rediscovered Books): A Triumph Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Benjamin Franklin: An American Life Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Mein Kampf Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Frida Kahlo: An Illustrated Life Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5All But My Life: A Memoir Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Reviews for Tjokroaminoto, Freedom’s Leading Light
0 ratings0 reviews
Book preview
Tjokroaminoto, Freedom’s Leading Light - Budi Setyarso et al.
TJOKROAMINOTO
FREEDOM’S LEADING LIGHT
By Budi Setyarso et al.
Published by Tempo Publishing at Smashwords
Copyrights Tempo 2013
ISBN: 9781301700769
Illustration on Cover: Kendra Paramita
SUKARNO, the nation’s first president, acknowledged that Haji Oemar Said Tjokroaminoto changed his life around. He was not only Sukarno’s father-in-law, he was also his political guru and of other independence movement leaders, such as Semaoen, Musso, Alimin and Kartosoewirjo. But in the end, the mentor of our founding fathers stood alone, when his pupils and protégés chose to go their separate—and often, opposing—ways. Tempo traces the life and times of Tjokroaminoto, whom the Dutch colonial authorities dubbed the local ‘king without a crown.’
*
TJOKROAMINOTO SPECIAL EDITION TEAM OF TEMPO AUGUST 23, 2011:
Team Leader: Budi Setyarso Coordinator: Sunudyantoro, Oktamandjaya Wiguna, Yandhrie Arvian
Editors: Arif Zulkifli, Budi Setyarso, Wahyu Muryadi, Amarzan Loebis, Putu Setia, Hermien Y. Kleden, Nugroho Dewanto, Bina Bektiati, Purwanto Setiadi, Seno Joko Suyono, L.R. Baskoro, Setri Yasra Writers: Budi Setyarso, Sunudyantoro, Oktamandjaya Wiguna, Yandhrie Arvian, Anton Septian, Anton Aprianto, Wahyu Dhyatmika, Dwidjo U. Maksum, Pramono, Tomi Aryanto, Sapto Pradityo, Philipus Parera, Bagja Hidayat, Yandi M. Rofiyandi, Yuliawati, Erwin Daryanto, Ninin Damayanti, Purwani Diyah Prabandari, Widiarsi Agustina, Muchamad Nafi Contributors: Ishomuddin (Madiun), Kukuh S. Wibowo (Surabaya), Sohirin (Semarang), Aris Andrianto (Wonosobo), Addi Mawahibun Idhom (Yogyakarta), Ukky Primartantyo (Solo) Design and Layout: Eko Punto Pambudi, Ehwan Kurniawan, Kendra H. Paramita, Kiagus Auliansyah, Aji Yuliarto, M. Rizky Lazuardi, Agus Darmawan Setiadi, Tri Watno Widodo Language Editors: Uu Suhardi, Sapto Nugroho, Habib Rifa’i Photography: Donang Wahyu (coordinator), Andry Prasetyo, M. Syaifullah, Fully Syafii, Ishomuddin, Muhammad Fadli, Wahyu Risyanto, Bismo Agung Documentation and Research: Dina Andriani, Danny Muhadiyansah, Astri Pirantiwi
* * *
Table of Content
The Freedom Fighter’s Guru
Tjokro Fever
The Laweyan Rebellion
The Twilight of Boedi Oetomo
From Humble, Noble Roots
Keeping Faith with Leftist Islam
Savior of the Sarekat Islam
Losing to the Lure of Guldens
The Life and Times of a Guru
Among Friends and Foes
The Rebel from Bakur
The Struggle and Oetoesan Hindia
The Rise to the Top
Tjokro’s Tracks in Ahmadiyah
The Man in Black
A Political School at Peneleh
Deference and Defiance
The Zigzag Path
Takashi Shiraishi: Tjokro created the standard for movements
* * *
The Freedom Fighter’s Guru
During his relatively short life, Oemar Said Tjokroaminoto laid the groundwork of building the Republic, initiating a movement towards equality and abandoning the established order of his own aristocratic family. He is revered as the ‘father’ of the nation’s independence movement leaders.
In Oemar Said Tjokroaminoto, one finds rebellion and compromise, at the same time. He repudiated the attributes of feudalism: putting aside the title of ‘raden’, protesting against laku dodok or kowtowing before an aristocrat—and demanding equality for the people of the Indies. He then urged his followers to wear ‘European clothes,’ as a symbol that the native people are human beings like the Dutch.
The struggle for equality can clearly be found in the speeches and writings of Tjokro. In 1914, in Doenia Bergerak (The World Awakens), he wrote this poem:
You sleep soundly, praised as the gentlest nation on earth.
Your blood is sucked and your meat eaten, so all that remains is skin.
Who does not praise the cow and buffalo?
People can order them to work, and people eat their meat.
Yet if you demand your rights, people think you arrogant, but you refuse to be oppressed.
Your language is praised as polite and refined the world over.
You address other nations in a high language, yet others address you in a lowly manner.
And wanting to turn that around, would make you insolent
Then, in a loud, baritone voice so he could be heard by thousands of listeners without a microphone,
Tjokroaminoto sowed the seeds of a movement for equality. It is not right for Indonesia to be fed only for its milk,
he exhorted in a 1916 speech in Bandung. It is not right to exploit this country without being accountable to its people, particularly its indigenous people who are given no right to participate in political issues which affect their lives…
Yet, unlike other radical leaders of the movement, Tjokro acted ‘under the protection’ of the Dutch government in motivating his movement. He chose to ‘cooperate’ in developing Sarekat Islam, the organization founded by Samanhoedi, a Batik entrepreneur from Laweyan, Solo, in 1912. Together with Douwe Adolf Rinkes, advisor to the Dutch Governor-General on indigenous affairs, he established branches of Sarekat. Four years after it was founded, the association opened more than 180 branches with 700,000 members, 20 times its original number. Tjokro used almost half of his time in nurturing this organization—although its development was not always smooth.
Unlike the elitist Boedi Oetomo which was founded several years earlier in 1908, Sarekat Islam brought the ‘nationalist’ spirit to a wider public. Aristocrats and common people alike had their first experience at seeing a new world, when the Javanese-Dutch hierarchy was abolished. Leaders of the Sarekat Islam sat at the same level as Dutch officials, while proclaiming the Indonesians to be human beings, just like the Dutch. At that time, the indigenous people were dubbed ‘one-quarter human being.’
The common people had a new identity. They began to enthusiastically attend Sarekat meetings. Mas Marco Kartodikromo, writing in Student Hidjo described in great detail the 1913 Sarekat congress in Solo: "At five thirty in the evening the NIS station in Balapan, Solo was full of people, who had come to pick up passengers arriving on the train. Dozens of horse-drawn carriages, all decked with banners with ‘SI’ written on them, indicated that the carriages had been rented by the Sarekat Islam association.
People who were not members of SI were forced to walk. There was not one horse carriage that did not have an SI banner. All Muslims seemed to show their solidarity with one another. On the streets, SI members showed how happy they felt. Then the SI carriages headed for Kampung Kabangan, the place where the vergadering Bestuur—congress—was held."
Tjokro’s writings themselves were not that extraordinary. He mostly wrote in a formal