Page 142 - BUKU A CENTURY OF PARLIAMENTARY LIFE IN INDONESIA

EFFORT TO REUNITE THE REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA
(1950 – 1960)

The Djuanda Declaration began when the Djuan-
da Cabinet held a meeting on December 13, 1959,
to discuss the crisis in the country. The discussion
narrowed down to the Dutch’s show of strength Due to the
through their warships in the Java Sea and the government crisis
waters of East Indonesia. In the face of this in-
cident, a cabinet meeting decided to draft a law surrounding
to prevent the Dutch’s actions from happening the Djuanda
again. However, after going through negotiations,
it was agreed that the Indonesian government Declaration, the
must immediately respond to the Dutch actions. law on Indonesian
The Cabinet then agreed to issue a statement that
became known as the Djuanda Declaration. territorial waters
based on the
The Djuanda Declaration received attention from
the international community, including some declaration could
negative responses. Nevertheless, Indonesia only be promulgated
continued to promote the idea of an archipelagic after the 1959
country, as stated in the declaration. Indonesia’s
efforts continued at international forums, such as Presidential Decree.
the United Nations Convention on the Law of the
Sea in Geneva, held in 1958. The government also
attempted to turn the declaration into law to be-
come a force in the struggle to reclaim West Irian.

Due to the government crisis surrounding the Djuanda Declaration, the law
on Indonesian territorial waters based on the declaration could only be pro-
mulgated after the 1959 Presidential Decree. The law was drafted not to be
discussed and approved by the DPR but as a governmental emergency law.

dpr.go.id 135