Page 23 - BUKU A CENTURY OF PARLIAMENTARY LIFE IN INDONESIA

A CENTURY OF PARLIAMENTARY LIFE
IN INDONESIA

However, additional troops would mean the Netherlands must allocate
a more significant budget. Hence, in 1912, a suggestion was made to re-
cruit an indigenous militia. This event became known as the Indie Weer-
baar or the Resistant Indies movement.

The Dutch East Indies Government rejected the idea at first. However,
when World War I broke out in September 1914, the colonial government’s
views shifted. Although the Netherlands and the Dutch East Indies were
not directly involved in World War I, the threat of war was felt by Dutch
settlers in the colony, especially from Germany’s ally in Asia, Japan.

The Indie Weerbaar idea was reconsidered. Many members of Budi Uto-
mo, a youth organization, who were mainly Javanese, decided to become
troops of the colonial army and campaign to form the militia.

Budi Utomo’s central administration sent Commissioner Dwijosewoyo
and Sastrowiyono in a campaign all over Java to support the plan.

Other than Budi Utomo, Sarekat Islam also participated in the Indie Weer-
baar campaign and acknowledged the importance of this idea. Sarekat
Islam even demanded another matter: the need for a bumiputra repre-
sentation in the Dutch East Indies Government.

In a Sarekat Islam meeting in Surabaya, a vote to support the militia was
prepared but did not take place. The vote, which Cokroaminoto proposed,
was instead used as collateral to ensure the formation of volks vertegen-
woordiging or a people’s representation. In other words, Cokroaminoto
demanded an official body where the people of the Dutch East Indies
could have freedom of speech before they could discuss an indigenous
militia.
Mas Dwidjosuwojo, c. 1920.
In 1915, Budi Utomo supported Sarekat Islam’s demand, and eventually,
(Source: KITLV 7268)
the Indie Weerbaar campaign turned into a movement for people’s repre-
sentation. Dutch East Indies Governor-General Van Limburg Stirum gave
hope to a discussion on matters surrounding the defense of the Indies by
the indigenous organization.

In July 1916, Comite Indie Weerbaar (the Indies Defense Committee) was
formed with members consisting of representatives from Budi Utomo,
Centrale Sarekat Islam (CSI), Regenten Bond (Regents Association), and
associations from four royal territories, including Narpowandowo (the
Susuhunan area in Surakarta), Prinsen Bond Mataram (the Sultan area

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