The Spark To A Flame

Dutch, French, German and Javanese blood coursed through his veins, but Ernest Francois Eugne Dekker possessed a spirit that was Indonesian to the core. The Dutch colonial government branded him a very dangerous man, and the political powerhouse spent a lot of time in exile or imprisoned. Dekker was the first person to establish a political party in Indonesia. The Indische Partij held a fiercely uncompromising stance in its fight for Indonesia's independence. As one of the chief initiators of the struggle for independence, Dekker's political thoughts were far ahead of his time. When translated into propaganda, his ideas inspired Tjokroaminoto to gather up mass support. His ideas on nationalism were key when Sukarno established the Indonesian National Party. He was languishing in exile when the proclamation of the Indonesian independence was declared.This is a special editionTempo's way of celebrating Indonesia's independenceon the life of the courageous man who also came to be known as Danudirja Setiabudi.