Little Brother’s Big Role
Sutan Sjahrir was one of the seven Fathers of Indonesian Revolution. He urged Sukarno and Hatta to declare Indonesian independence although he himself was not present on the big day. He chose an elegant way to drive the Dutch out of Indonesia, a way which was opposed by the other Fathers of Indonesian Revolution. His anti-fascist, anti-military ideology was criticized as only fit for an educated elite. He was thus branded an elitist. Sjahrir went down to the people, touring the country as he mobilized cadres for the Indonesian Socialist Party, the party he founded after independence. History passed over the big role of Bung Kecil, Little Brother, as he was fondly called, in the Indonesian struggle for independence. Sjahrir was a revolutionary who died in exile.
March 10, 2009
THE documentary recorded a moving scene. On August 14, 1947, Sjahrir stood before the United Nations Security Council at Lake Success in America, telling the world about Indonesia, a newly-independent nation with a long history. Unlike Sukarno, he spoke in clear, orderly language. “This documentary was lost and forgotten for 60 years,” said historian Rushdy Hoesein.
Two months ago the documentary was screened at Tempo’s editorial office
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