Dear All,

Sejak kemarin sudah kita lihat kibaran bendera Merah Putih diseluruh pelosok 
tanah air
dalam rangka memperingati HUT Indonesia ke 65. Usia yang cukup matang dan mapan 
untuk mampu menjalankan amanat proklamasi itu sendiri.

Tetapi nyatanya, usia 65 tahun masih tertatih-tatih dalam menangani kemiskinan 
yang mendera bangsa, fisik dan mental!
Disisi lain sekelompok orang yang hidup bermewah-mewah, tanpa malu-malu 
mendemonstrasikan betapa hebatnya mereka sebagai kelompok orang yang berpunya!
Tanpa tahu, tanpa menyadari bahwa yang dia punya, ada sebagian hak orang lain 
didalamnya.

Jiwa kejuangan masyarakat sudah luntur bukan karena uzur, tetapi karena kendur 
dan ketiadaan upaya negara untuk melestarikannya.
Sejarah hanya menjadi hafalan yang akan diujikan di sekolah-sekolah, tanpa 
makna, sudah pasti erosi jati diri sebagai anak bangsa tak dapat terbendung.
Lalu, siapa kita?

Artikel dibawah ini saya unduh dari Globe Media Group, semoga bermanfaat.



MERDEKA! 
Yuda Irlang


A Tale of Freedom, Told in Pictures
Report Dewi Pertiwi | August 15, 2010
A visitor looking at photographs taken during  (JG the run-up to Indonesia’s 
declaration of independence 65 years ago. Photos/ Dewi Pertiwi) 

 
 
When President Sukarno and Vice President Mohammad Hatta proclaimed Indonesia’s 
independence 65 years ago, several local photo journalists were on hand to 
capture the historical event. It was through photos like these that Indonesians 
and the rest of the world were able to witness the birth of the Unitary State 
of 
the Republic of Indonesia. 


A new exhibition, “Identitas Untuk Semua” (“Identity for All”), has more than 
50 
photographs on display depicting major historical events as well as the lives 
of 
regular Indonesians in the run-up to the country’s declaration of independence. 
The exhibition was put together by the Jakarta Arts Council to commemorate the 
65th anniversary of Indonesian independence, which takes place on Tuesday, and 
will be on show at Galeri Cipta III in Taman Ismail Marzuki, Central Jakarta, 
through Aug. 23. 


The photos, taken by the likes of Alex and Frans Soemarto Mendur, didn’t just 
document the events of the day, but often acted themselves as a catalyst, 
pushing Indonesia further down the road to freedom one black-and-white print at 
a time. 


Alex and Frans, together with Justus Frans Umbas, Alex Mamusung and Oscar 
Ganda, 
started the Indonesian Press Photo Service (IPPHOS) on Oct. 2, 1946. 

The group consisted of a band of dedicated photojournalists who had all been 
documenting events throughout Indonesia leading up to the country’s declaration 
of independence. Members of the group often discreetly spread their photos to 
the public as a means of documenting the struggle and keeping people updated. 

Most of the images on display during the current exhibition were taken by 
IPPHOS 
members. 

For example, it was Frans who took the iconic picture of Sukarno reading the 
declaration of independence in a location now known as Tugu Proklamasi. 

Another picture, taken by Dutch photographer Cas Oorthuys in 1946, shows a 
large 
slogan painted on a building that reads: 


“Freedom is the glory of any nation. Indonesia for Indonesians!” Oorthuys was a 
foreign photojournalist who was also a member of IPPHOS. 

Another image captures Sukarno and Hatta delivering their independence 
manifesto 
on Aug. 17, 1945. 


Oorthuys published a book in July 1947 of the pictures he took during this 
period, titled “Een Staad in Wording” (“A Nascent State”). The book helped 
raise 
awareness around the world about a new country named Indonesia. 

Another photo shows Vice President Hatta standing and speaking in the Manggarai 
train station in Jakarta surrounded by hundreds of people. 

The distance between him and his audience is no more than half a meter. 
“This photo shows the closeness between a leader and the people,” said Oscar 
Motuloh, the exhibition’s curator. “It’s a wonderful image! It shows how the 
vice president and the people were equals.” 


There is also a picture of Sukarno delivering a speech in front of the 
Presidential Palace in Jakarta. Looking charismatic in his military apparel, 
the 
crowd is pressing in around the president. 

Again, this close proximity between a leader and the people makes the image 
both 
startling and, somehow, full of hope. 


Oscar said these photographs provided a reminder of Indonesian’s identity. “The 
declaration of independence in 1945 was the birth of our identity as 
Indonesians,” he said. “It’s an event that didn’t come cheap. It was won 
through 
centuries of struggle by our late national heroes. Lately, people seem to have 
forgotten this, so these photos should serve as a reminder that we must 
remember 
to tell the story over and over again to our children and their children.” 

Indonesia is a complex country consisting of more than 17,000 islands and 
hundreds of different ethnic groups. 

According to Oscar, this pluralism is not a weakness but a strength. It is, he 
said, one of the things that helped the founding fathers win our freedom. 


“So it’s such a shame that now we often see in the news people being hostile 
over different opinions or religions,” he said, adding that he hoped this 
exhibition would help remind all Indonesians of the principle of unity in 
diversity. 


Indra Ameng, 35, an artist from Ruang Rupa Gallery, thinks the photographers 
should receive credit for having played such significant roles in shaping 
Indonesia’s history. “These pictures speak louder than any text could. The 
photographers definitely recognized how important these photos could be to 
Indonesia’s political situation at the time,” he said. “They need to be 
included 
in textbooks.” 

Unfortunately, a national archive system is still in the process of being 
created and the government is notoriously weak when it comes to preserving 
historical documents. 


Oscar said these photos are more than valuable documents, they are living 
history, just as important as the famous recording of Sukarno declaring 
independence. 


“Most people have heard that recording at least once. It’s a sound that can 
send 
chills up the spines of all Indonesians. Looking at these photos has the same 
effect,” he said. “These photos need to be preserved at all cost.”


Identitas Untuk Semua’  (‘Identity for All’) Until Aug. 23  Galeri Cipta III, 
Taman Ismail Marzuki, Jl. Cikini Raya  No. 73, Central Jakarta‘
 
 
Copyright ©2010 Jakarta Globe, All Rights Reserved
About Us | Privacy Policy | Sitemap
The Aryaduta Suites Tower A, 2nd Floor |Jl. Garnisun Dalam No. 8 |Karet 
Semanggi 
|Jakarta 12930 |Indonesia 

Phone:+62 21 2553 5053 | Fax: +62 21 2553 5063 | Globe Media Group 
Related articles
Police to Reroute Independence Day Traffic Past Palace 11:34pm Aug 13, 2010
My Jakarta: Yono, Fireworks Vendor 5:49pm Feb 23, 2010
Yudhoyono Speech Depicts A Nation Advancing Toward 2025 11:03am Aug 14, 2009
More Protection Needed For Human Rights Defenders: Komnas HAM 1:07pm Aug 17, 
2009
US President Obama Congratulates Indonesia on Independence Day 12:54pm Aug 17, 
2009



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Kirim email ke