Life and Death Are But a Moment Apart from Freedom

Prof. Dr. Murodi M.Ag.
Professor of Islamic History from the Faculty of Da'wa and Communication Sciences

The cries of the Indonesian independence movement emerged, consistently resonating whenever the Indonesian populace opposed the domination of the invaders.

They stood as one, encompassing commoners, sultans, scholars, and intellectuals, as well as individuals with minimal education who engaged in combat with whatever armaments were available, ranging from bamboo spears, daggers, machetes, mandau, and rencong to contemporary weaponry, all deployed to confront the Dutch colonizers, demanding their immediate withdrawal from Indonesian territory.

The Indonesian populace is increasingly disillusioned with the persecution perpetrated by the Dutch and their affiliates. The Indonesian populace seeks imminent independence. Consequently, all societal forces are uniting against unfairness and capriciousness.

Numerous wars persisted, like the Aceh War (1873-1904), the Padri War (1823-1836), and the Diponegoro War (1825-1830), among other battles, demonstrating the resilience of the Indonesian populace.

In every conflict, there are invariably war cries of "Merdeka atau Mati!" and the takbeer, "Allahu Akbar!" which was consistently uttered by freedom warriors to instill in the populace a resolute attitude to advance without retrospection.

The Dutch

The Dutch arrived in Indonesia in 1596 specifically to procure spice components for authentic Indonesian natural resource products. By 1603 AD, seven years later, they had nearly monopolized all spice products and production from Indonesia. They finally realized the necessity for enterprises and warehouses to keep goods prior to their shipment to Europe; thus, in 1603, the Dutch founded the inaugural firm placed in the archipelago, known as the VOC (Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie).

As a result, economic dominance over the Indonesian region ensued, giving the Netherlands a prominent economic power, bolstered by natural resources like spices and agricultural products, which compelled it to reinforce its control over the world's largest spice-producing region to avert seizure by other European nations: Portuguese, English, and Spanish.

A governor-general was dispatched to represent the Dutch crown in Indonesia to oversee the administration of VOC possessions and trade routes. Consequently, in 1626, a delegate from the Dutch kingdom, Jan Pietersz. Coen, was dispatched. He served as governor-general for the Dutch kingdom, supervising Indonesia's natural resource outputs, particularly spices, which were esteemed commodities in Europe and elsewhere during that period.

This economically advantageous power persists in evolving into political hegemony. Particularly following the dissolution of the VOC due to losses in 1887, political control began to intensify. Subsequently, the Netherlands and the military political factions also progressively undermined Indonesia's political power.

This transition then transpired in the Dutch approach from solely engaging in trade and territorial control (colonialism) to intervening in the political matters of the Sultans and rulers of Indonesia (imperialism). They enacted a war tactic of divide and conquer, instigating discontent and division among Indonesian citizens in order to inhibit the Native (Pribumi) from opposing their presence.

The Resistance

Following the onset of colonialism and imperialism in the territories governed by the Sultans of Indonesia, both the populace and the Sultans united to resist the Dutch, who were deemed as the enemies. The populace, comprising religious intellectuals and common residents, then persisted in vocalizing demands for independence.

One renowned scholar from Palembang, Sheikh Abdushamad al-Palimbani, authored a significant work that could inspire the fervor for Indonesia's independence. The work is Jihad fi Sabilillah, which urges Indonesian Muslim society to engage in combat for the liberation of the Republic of Indonesia.

Young individuals, whether in the Middle East or the Netherlands, consistently engaged in fervent discussions about the ongoing situation in Indonesia, which remained under Dutch colonial rule. In 1928, youth convened the Youth Congress to consolidate the vision and objective of the Indonesian independence struggle.

This congress reached a consensus over Indonesia. They successfully reached a consensus regarding the territory, Indonesia, consolidating the tribes into a singular nation, Indonesia. Consolidating the unifying language: Bahasa Indonesia. The vision was also consolidated to further the pursuit of a singular ideal: an independent country, Indonesia.

Subsequent to the agreement, the parties acknowledged their territory solely as Indonesia. They must perform for their own territory. Indonesia's designation as a nation prompted them to act in the name of Indonesia; thus, no one will act on behalf of the local or regional authority any longer.

They finally agreed that Bahasa Indonesia will serve as the national language for communication. By eradicating the ego associated with each region's vernacular, all societal factions converged with a singular, more concentrated linguistic objective.

The Japanese

During the nation's intense quest for independence, the Japanese army invaded and occupied Indonesia from 1943 to 1945. Notwithstanding this, the populace persisted in advancing on the Dai Nippon army, undeterred. The amalgamation of military conflict and political maneuver peaked on August 17, 1945—Indonesia's Independence Day—with the proclamation delivered by Soekarno and Muhammad Hatta representing the Indonesian populace.

However, the independence declared on that day was not acknowledged by the Dutch. Nonetheless, Islamic nations, including Palestine and Egypt, unequivocally acknowledged Indonesia's independence on August 17, 1945. Consequently, the Netherlands and its allies sought to reestablish dominion over Indonesia, leading to the War of Independence, which persisted until the Dutch and their allies were kicked out of this land empty-handed forever. With General W.S. Mallaby also perished during the Indonesian War of Independence by all fighters who had engaged in close-quarter combat with weapons they had, exemplifying their unshakeable faith in an independent Indonesia.

 Thank you, and I believe this writing will come in handy.

 Pamulang, August 5, 2025, Respectfully

 Murodi al-Batawi