Aki's story: experience in brief during the 1945-1949 War of Independence
Aki's story: experience in brief during the 1945-1949 War of Independence
This is a translation of an authentic letter written by Aki (Grandpa in Sundanese) to his grand daugher (at that time was still a teen-ager) who resides in the Netherlands. The original letter is written in Indonesian.
After World War II was finished in 1945 with Japan's surrender to the Allies, Indonesia was occupied by British troops in a transition to be returned to the Dutch. But on August 17, 1945 on behalf of the Indonesian people Sukarno-Hatta proclaimed Indonesia's independence. The Netherlands did not want to recognize Indonesian independence. The Dutch joined with British troops landing in Indonesia.
What followed was an armed conflict between Indonesia and the Netherlands. The position of the Government of the Republic of Indonesia in Jakarta was increasingly squeezed. Sultan Hamengku Buwono IX declared Yogyakarta Sultanate as part of the Republic of Indonesia and offered Yogyakarta as the seat of government of the Republic of Indonesia. This offer was accepted and the Indonesian government moved to Yogya.
Aki at that time went to school in Taman Madya (Taman Siswa High School) in Yogya and joined the Student Army (TP). TP organizations were very loose. Aki had never participated in an army training. If you want to fight on the front, just say goodbye to the teacher and the principal, go to the train station, and then go to the front. If you feel tired on the front, go home and go to school again. So casual. Also not given uniform. Each wore ordinary clothes everyday. So all kinds of clothes.
On the front we were borrowed a weapon and were told how to use it, but never practiced with it. One time, on the front, the location where Aki was based was attacked by the Dutch troops. Aki together with friends took shelter in a ditch. We were ordered to shoot the Dutch. But because it was not trained, we were just shooting with the rifle, but we did not know whether the enemy was hit or not. We were pressed and ordered to retreat to the mountains. When the Dutch returned to Salatiga, they burned down the villages where the Indonesian army stayed.
Another time the Dutch held an attack in Mranggen in the southeast of Semarang. Our place was on a hill, some distance from the site of the attack. From the top of the hill you can see the Dutch moving. Like seeing a movie. But our place was noticed (by them) and we were shot with mortars. Luckily the mortars didn't hit us. There were no casualties.
Once we had orders to intercept Dutch soldiers coming with tanks. Even though we were only armed with light guns (karabijn). So there was actually no point in fighting a tank. But we didn't know the danger and just left. Fortunately the tank didn't pass the road where we waited to intercept. So everyone was safe. If the tank had passed by there, maybe no one would have survived.
The saddest moment is when we were ordered to go to the station to pick up the bodies of the fighters who died. The coffins were very simple and often already smelled (by the decomposed bodies).
During the March 1, 1949 attack, Aki was in Yogya and was not joining the TP. At noon around 11 o'clock after the guerrillas left the city, the Dutch conducted a sweeping operation. Aki was caught too. Luckily at home there were no weapons and TP documents. But Aki was also arrested and kept in a prison for one and a half months.
Because Aki was one of those who did not have weapons at home and there were no TP documents, Aki was treated well. There were so many prisoners, exceeding the prison capacity. Because of it, an emergency bathroom and toilet had to be built. Emergency toilets consisted of large holes and on top of it there is a wooden board with holes. Every morning before the bells sound, each person is ready with a can of water. Once the cell door is opened everyone runs to the lavatory to claim a hole. If you lose the race and can't get a hole, and you have to wait while holding the stomach.
The happiest moment is when you get the task of sweeping the yard, because you can walk around the wide prison yard. Pretty good for recreation and sports. We often sang songs of (independence) struggle. Then the Dutch soldiers forcefully stopped it.
In the prison, it is permissible to receive packages from home. Others asked for food, but Aki asked for books. This is Aki's hobby. The book includes English textbooks. When a Dutch guard saw it, he asked if Aki was a student. Aki said yes. Turns out he was also a student. He became very kind to Aki and spoke Dutch with Aki. Sometimes he shared his bread with Aki. You can also eat bread with delicious muisjes and cheese.
