By Benny YP Siahaan
August 17 this year marks the 70th year when the young Soekarno read aloud the Proclamation of Independence on Friday at 10 AM at his house at Pegangsaan Street No. 56, Jakarta (Although the UN acknowledges that the date of Indonesia’s Independence is on December 27, 1949, nobody in Indonesia cares!)
Even though Indonesia is still a relatively young nation (compared to France or US), Indonesia has a rich, brave and inspirational history of independence to remember. And every year on August 17, we observe with gratitude and respect the staunch and bloody struggle waged by our founding fathers against colonialism -the struggle that ultimately led to our freedom as an independent nation.
To mark this 70th Independence celebration, I assume every Indonesian citizen and organization in the country and abroad would think hard about how to make it exceptional (to give their best) to mark this special day of remembrance, as we will do in New York
In New York, on 22nd August the first ever street festival will be initiated as the apex of this year’s Indonesia’s Independence celebration. The event is to be conducted along the 68thstreet where the Indonesian Consulate is located,one of the most prime areas in Manhattan which is adjacent to the legendary Central Park and located between the world’s famous high end shopping streets ,Fifth and Madison Avenues.
The Indonesian diaspora in New York and surrounding cities are excited and eager to participate in and anxious to have this event occur in their city. Not only is it a first time ever event, but it will attract a huge crowd of not just an Indonesian audience but also locals as well as tourists who are visiting Central Park, Fifth and Madison Avenues. Indeed, although the Consulate was established in 1951, no one really knows why there was no idea (or perhaps there was but it never materialized) to celebrate Indonesian independence through such a festival,while many countries, including the Philippines, already have their own street festival (even parade) in New York City.
The long, arduous and complicated process to obtain a permit from the City of New York is said to be one of the main deterrents as to why the Indonesian street festival is yet to happen in almost 64 years! Well, in fact that was what our founding fathers did when they tried to gain independence from the Dutch - to make something possible from the impossible. Based from that inspiration, through hard work and a spirit of cooperation, the Indonesian Consulate, though with limited budget, and with the full support of the Indonesian diaspora, and students in New York, finally got the permission by the City of New York to hold such a festival.
The preparation is underway with a high spirit and enthusiasm, but we are also reminded that after being granted permission, we all agreed that this should be maintained as an annual event for Indonesia in New York. Nobody wants this to be a one-time event, the first and the last. The organizing committee members have delivered their utmost thought into making this celebration as vibrant as possible while at the same time, very conscious about making it run efficiently and in an orderly manner since, should there be any complaints or incidents, it will be put on record and in many cases in the next year, the permission may not be granted.
This situation is more or less similar to our independence in 1945 where our forefathers seriously thought about how to make the independence more than a onetime event, an event that could be continuously celebrated every year with each year better than the previous one. Indeed, independence should never be a onetime event and to make it as continuous event is really a tall order.
Judging from the current situation, as a nation we have already been surviving for 70 years. Indeed, it is a great achievement in some point. We are lucky to be spared from disaster when we were struck by the 1998 financial crisis which was followed by chaotic conditions that caused many to predict that Indonesia would be Southeast Asia’s Balkan. But do we have the same spirit as our forefathers had when they waged struggle for independence?
Hence, it is sad to read the recent news (Kompas.com, July 22, 2015) that the Interior Minister, Tjahjo Kumolo, has issued a circular letter to instruct every school to hold a flag ceremony every Monday because of the many reports of neglect and disrespectful attitude of students and teachers to the Indonesian flag and national anthem. They really do not realize the real meaning of those two states’ sacred symbols that were dearly fought with blood by our founding fathers.
Apart from that, at this 70th commemoration of Indonesia independence, it is a high time for us to redefine our spirit of independence in order to safely navigate our nation to the uncharted sea of the future. What kind of independence do we want at present and in the future? In this light, Franklin D. Roosevelt’s four fundamental freedoms are still relevant and perennial to every nation: freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want and freedom from fear.
At this 70th independence we ought to reflect where we are now at those four fundamental freedoms. I believe that we should answer honestly by ourselves. Happy Independence Day, Indonesia!
New York, 17 August 2015
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