The Story Of Amir Syarifuddin During The Japanese Colonial Period: The Dead Sentence Replaces The Sentence Of Life

Prime Minister Sutan Sjahrir, Minister of Defense Amir Syarifuddin (armed-handler), Minister of Social Affairs Maria Santoso and his entourage visited the weapons factory, Yogyakarta, 1947. (Perpusnas)

JAKARTA - The presence of Japan was once considered a savior. However, Japan opened its own ulcers. They are no better than the Dutch colonialists. Japanese colonizers often carry out acts of terror against freedom fighters who are against them.

Amir Syarifuddin has felt it. The independence fighter is considered to perpetuate the anti-Japan narrative. He was accused of being a Dutch man too. Japan also sentenced him to a death sentence which later turned into a life sentence.

Japan's passion as the freeer of Asia is second to none. The owner of power is able to show the evil to fight the colonialists who have lived in Asia for a long time. In the Dutch East Indies (now: Indonesia), moreover. The Land of the Rising Sun was able to end the shackles of Dutch power from the archipelago.

This success made Japan claim to be the Old Brother of Indonesia. Ajia No Ajia (Asia for all Asian nations), he said. Sweet promises were also propagated. They promised independence of Indonesia. As a form of seriousness, everything related to Indonesia's struggle (flagged, national anthem, and other attributes) is not prohibited.

Later the Dutch actually opened their own ulcers. The Indonesian nation is asked to respect Japan. The flag and Japanese song, especially. Anyone who is not subject to it, the law awaits. From prison sentences to the death penalty.

The sympathy of the Indonesian people for Japan has ended. Many of the freedom fighters chose the underground movement to oppose Japan. Even though some of them chose to collaborate.

The underground movement considers Japan to have a bad intentions for the bumiputras. Instead, they blackmailed the bumiputras like dairy cows. Moreover, Japan often perpetuates violence to protect its power. Resistance to Japan also appears everywhere.

Japan is indeed friendly and has many sweet promises on the one hand. However, on the other hand, especially in the realm of social and security, Japan is not playing brutally. A legendary figure, Dullah witnessed with his own eyes how fierce the Japanese soldiers were to the people of Solo. Dullah and his friends were certainly shocked. Not yet finished with the Dutch, now we have to face Japan."

In the midst of the grumble they made a movement to reject Japanese arbitrariness. Posters were made and Dullah had small speeches in a number of villages. Ojo percoyo karo wong Japan. Ngguya-ngguyu ning nyabetke klewang (Don't believe in Japan. Be laughing but his hands won the sword)," said Agus Dermawan T. in Dongeng Dullah's book (2020).

There are not a few freedom fighters who refuse to cooperate with Japan. The most prominent figure is Amir Syarifuddin. His hatred of Japanese fascism is unstoppable. He is even willing to cooperate with the Dutch since the Pacific War broke out.

The cooperation was perpetuated so that Amir formed an underground resistance organization against Japan. The Dutch poured large enough funds for it. Amir received an injection of 25 thousand guilders to arrange the movement.

In fact, the resistance efforts of Amir and his friends in the underground movement were detected by Japan. Amir and 53 other people were arrested in 1943. Japan, which was furious, immediately sentenced all members of the underground movement to death. Amir was included in it.

The sentence was a common punishment during the Japanese colonial period for freedom fighters who were considered rebels. The choice of the death penalty is usually in two ways. Picked up by a catana or shot by nambu (a semi-automatic Japanese-made) parakai.

News of Amir being sentenced to death spread everywhere. In fact, the news reached the freedom fighters who collaborated with Japan: Soekarno and Hatta. Dwitunggal acknowledged Amir's influence was great on the struggle, even in collaboration with the Netherlands.

Soekarno and Hatta also tried to intervene in Japan so as not to sentence Amir to death. Both even in a slightly threatening tone, will not collaborate with Japan if Amir is sentenced to death.

Japan eventually melted. They did not sentence Amir to death. Instead, Amir's death penalty was replaced with a life sentence. However, Amir did not carry out the sentence until it was finished. Because, he came out of prison when Indonesia was independent. It may be his fate to be truly - he was the Prime Minister to the Indonesian Minister of Defense, but not with his friends being moved underground who were still sentenced to death by Japan.

There was also a report to me that Amir Syarifuddin, one of our leaders from the underground movement, for weeks had been hanged by Kenpetai with his feet up. He was told to drink his own urine. He will not be able to last any longer. I negotiate his release by confirming to the officials concerned. Get him or otherwise, don't expect any more cooperation from me."

"To be able to make such a statement, it really takes a strong heart. However, to be able to look at Amir Syarifuddin's condition when Japan removes him, it requires even greater heart strength. His body is thin like lidi. People can't believe that someone is still able to hold back such suffering and it is still possible to come out alive," said Bung Karno as written by Cindy Adams in the book Bung Karno: Connecting the Indonesian People's Lidah (1965).