JAKARTA - Today's history, 128 years ago, May 30, 1894, the leader of the Netherland Indies Civil Administration (NICA), Hubertus Johannes van Mook was born in Semarang, Central Java. He grew up as an educated generation. All Dutch interests in the Indies were studied.
Therefore, his political career is flashy. From members of the People's Council: the Volksraad (now: a kind of member of the House of Representatives or DPR), to the Lieutenant Governor General of the Dutch East Indies. After that, he fled to Australia and led NICA to dominate the archipelago for the second time.
The Indies is a promising land for all Dutch people. All kinds of jobs were available to white people. Therefore, the Dutch colony could be their shortcut to achieve honor and wealth. So did Van Mook's parents. After getting married, his parents immediately came to the Indies.
In Nusantara, both of his parents had good careers. Then the fruit of his love was born. His name is Van Mook. Van Mook's presence was eagerly awaited. His parents also prepared the best education for their child. Both in Indonesia and the Netherlands. Van Mook grew up to be an intelligent and skeptical person.
He also chose the Dutch East Indies as a place of career. He has held various positions. He had served as Assistant Resident in Batavia. Then, he was elected as a member of the Volksraad in 1931. That classy career did not necessarily make Van Mook complacent.
He who was promoted to Lieutenant Governor General of the Dutch East Indies continued to show his brilliant ideas. Mainly in building the archipelago. He also wanted the Dutch East Indies to be independent. Alias so that the Indies could slowly be separated from the care of the Dutch. Unfortunately, the plan was just a dream. Van Mook's dream was dashed because the Japanese quickly took control of Indonesia in 1942.
“In short, deep down, Hubertus van Mook is an autocrat. He saw and acknowledged the reality of Indonesian nationalism, but at the same time considered that the natives had not been able to produce enough leaders to properly govern such a large area with so many people (70 million people). Therefore, he feels himself capable of holding the reins of leadership under such circumstances.”
“The condition is that he is given great authority. This meant that the Dutch East Indies had to be free from the highest authority in the Netherlands. His belief is said to have been strengthened by his experience as Director of the Department of Economic Affairs of the Netherlands East Indies. In this position he was practically left to decide everything for himself. Governor-General Tjarda might judge this figure to have expertise that deserves such freedom,” said P. Swantoro in the book From Book to Book: Connecting Each Other Into One (2016).
However, Van Mook's guts are not like his boss, Alidius Tjarda van Starkenborgh Stachouwer. The Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies dared to put up a body to surrender himself and his power to the Japanese.
Van Mook, who is actually the lieutenant governor, is the opposite. He chose to flee to Australia in 1942. In Australia he also led the NICA. A civilian government aiming to regain control of the Dutch East Indies. That ambition was seen when Japan surrendered to the allies.
Van Mook began to launch an action to control Indonesia after Indonesia became independent. However, it didn't go smoothly. Van Mook was defeated by the spirit of the Indonesian fighters who defended independence.
“Beside them, there were people who were brought by the Dutch from Indonesia because when the Japanese came, the Dutch fled south to Australia – and they couldn't go anywhere. The Dutch officially surrendered to the Japanese, so the Dutch Governor was arrested and many Dutch in Indonesia were made prisoners of war in camps in Java and elsewhere.”
“However, while the Dutch made it to Australia, van Mook, Lieutenant General Governor, and van der Plas for example, there were quite a number of people, not just Dutch officials. The Dutch East Indies government in exile has officially received asylum in Aüstralia,” concluded Molly Bondan as written by Joan Hardjono et al in the book Molly Bondan: In Love with A Nation (1995).
The birth of the Governor-General of the Netherlands and the founder of NICA, Hubertus Johanes van Mook is a historical record today, May 30, 1894 in Indonesia.
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