Traces Of Cooperative And Non-Cooperative Fighters Towards Indonesian Independence

The figure of Sutan Sjahrir, who was a noncooperative freedom fighter in the Dutch and Japanese eras. (Wikimedia Commons)

JAKARTA - The struggle to achieve Indonesian independence through cooperative and non-cooperative fighters is nothing new. In the past, Soekarno and Mohammad Hatta chose a non-cooperative lane in the Dutch colonial era. Other independence fighters such as MH Thamrin chose a cooperative path.

The relationship is not a problem. Everyone supports each other. The same conditions occurred during the Japanese colonial era. Japanese collaborators Soekarno and Hatta did not lose their minds in supporting the underground movement to fight.

Indonesia's struggle for independence never relies on a single strategy. The style and way of struggle for freedom fighters varies. The most popular way to do this is to maintain the struggle through cooperative and noncooperative channels.

Jalu is cooperatively known as the struggle for independence by compromising with the invaders. They fought for independence through official channels: Volksraad (Apart from the DPR) or other organizations recognized by the colonial government.

The non-cooperative path is the opposite. They are known as fighters who do not want to compromise with the invaders. They are often called rebels. The most obvious example is the struggle of Soekarno and Hatta who are often labeled as rebels.

Not a few of those who became corporate fighters. The most famous figure is MH Thamrin. Thamrin may be part of the colonial government through Volksraad. However, his service to help fighters and the struggle for Indonesian independence is second to none.

He struggled to increase the life of the bumiputras through the Volksraad podium. He has a big role in protecting the lives of the freedom fighters arrested by the Dutch. The trail was recognized by freedom fighters throughout the country.

Recently, the strategy to become a freedom fighter for the corporate group was actually chosen by Bung Karno and Bung Hatta in the Japanese colonial era. They think that collaborating with Japan can make independence more likely to come quickly.

Those who differ understand choosing the path of the non-cooporative movement as an underground movement. They do not want to cooperate with Japan. This difference does not make fellow fighters hate each other.

Thamrin's recommended cooperative base has been able to prove that something can be achieved to improve people's socio-economic status. The achievements obtained by radical non-cooperative leaders are contradictory, regardless of those who frankly support the Marxist doctrine about the economy which is the main determinant of community conditions.

On the other hand, cooperative direction should not be seen as moderate and more pro-Dutch than non-cooperative. On the other hand, cooperators are not always loyal to the Dutch. They are also as harsh as non-cooperative groups in wanting independence," said historian Bob Hering in the book Mohammad Hoesni Thamrin (2003).

The image of an independence fighter who became a Japanese collaborator was ridiculed by many people. They are often considered Japanese loyalists. Sometimes also the foreman of Romusa (forced work). The reality is not so. Cooperative and noncooperative groups basically have the same direction of struggle: Indonesia's independence.

Japanese collaborators such as Soekarno, Hatta, and others continue to actively disseminate information to underground movements to move. The underground movement in which is Sutan Sjahrir, Sukarni, and Amir Sjarifuddin needs that information to collect the movement.

Communication between the two groups cannot be made clear. At that time Japanese spies always monitored the freedom fighters who were collaborators. However, the freedom fighters did not run out of ideas. They can still continue the message, even though their lives are at stake.

Take Bung Karno for example. He often risks being able to make contact with underground fighters. The information provided by Soekarno became a provision of struggle. This role is proof of a cooperative fighter like the ear of the underground movement reading the situation.

This strategy brought success. The peak of the struggle bore fruit with the Proclamation of Indonesian Independence which took place on August 17, 1945. Fighters from two groups merged into one celebrating an independent Indonesia.

"Containing the risk or not, I continue to have secret relationships with underground movements. Sometimes I make late contact at my friend's clinic, Doctor R. Suharto, when all the lights are out and everyone has closed their doors. I make contact with a liaison outside in the open".

"It seems like exchanging fun words to each other, and the next day the whispers were spread to the members of the underground movement, this can be done, this can't be done, this is not. These orders came from me. I myself have certain facts. I submitted information channels to the two majors," said Bung Karno as written by Cindy Adams in the book Bung Karno: Connecting the Tongue of the Indonesian People (2014).