Commemorating Heroes Day, Indonesian Society And Diaspora Visits The Grave Of Indonesian Independence Fighters In Australia

The laying of flowers on the graves of Indonesian freedom fighters by the Indonesian Embassy in Canberra. (Source: Indonesian Embassy in Canberra)

JAKARTA - Rain and strong winds did not prevent dozens of people and the Indonesian diaspora in Australia from making a pilgrimage to the graves of Indonesian freedom fighters.

The pilgrimage to commemorate Hero's Day took place at the prisoner of war burial complex in Cowra, 307 kilometers west of Sydney. This pilgrimage was initiated by the Indonesian Consulate General in Sydney and Indonesian diaspora volunteers.

Among the pilgrims were Mayor Cowra Bill West, Deputy Mayor Judi Smith, Defense Attache of the Indonesian Embassy in Canberra, Laksma TNI Agus Rustandi along with a number of Indonesian Embassy officials, as well as the Indonesian community and diaspora, including representatives from the Indonesia Diaspora Network Australia and several other organizations.

In his remarks, Mayor Bill West paid tribute to the Indonesian freedom fighters who were buried in Cowra. Mayor West emphasized that the existence of an Indonesian cemetery in Cowra is a sign of the special relationship between the Indonesian community and the people in Cowra.

"A great nation is a nation that always remembers the services of its heroes," emphasized the Indonesian Consul General in Sydney, Vedi Kurnia Buana, as the leader of the pilgrimage group in his remarks, citing a written statement from the Indonesian Consulate General in Sydney November 17.

Laying flowers at the graves of Indonesian freedom fighters. (Source: Edward Yd via Consulate General in Sydney)

Consul General Vedi Buana hopes that through this pilgrimage visit, more people and the Indonesian diaspora, especially the younger generation, in Australia will know about the existence of the Indonesian cemetery in Cowra.

"We all need to use the spirit of Heroes Day to replenish our energy in order to recover together and recover to be stronger," said Consul General Vedi regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.

Meanwhile, Matthew Hasjim, one of the young Indonesian diaspora, expressed the impression he felt from the pilgrimage visit to Cowra.

"As someone who was born in Australia, this visit was an eye-opening visit and enriched insight into the history of Indonesia in Australia," said Matthew.

The man who is also the President of the Australia Indonesia Youth Association (AIYA) New South Wales also invited the young generation of Indonesia in Australia to make a pilgrimage to Cowra, not only for the purpose of an introductory visit to history, but also as a form of reflection on the sacrifices of the Indonesian freedom fighters and their importance. efforts to maintain peace.

Address from Cowra Mayor Bill West. (Source: Edward Yd via Consulate General in Sydney)

This pilgrimage was followed by the laying of wreaths on 14 Indonesian graves, accompanied by the strains of the violin song 'Gugur Bunga' played by a young Indonesian, Chrissia Monica.

In addition to pilgrimage visits, participants also had the opportunity to visit the location of the prisoner of war camp in Cowra and the World Peace Bell. Mayor Bill West, Consul General Vedi Buana, and Defense Attache Laksma TNI Agus Rustandi simultaneously sounded the World Peace Bell as a message of the importance of peacekeeping efforts.

For information, the Indonesian cemetery in Cowra is part of the burial complex of prisoners of war in Cowra. Among the Indonesians buried in this cemetery are political prisoners of the Dutch colonial government in the 1920-1930s who were exiled to Boven Digul, Papua.

Due to concerns that these political prisoners would fight the Dutch by taking advantage of the Japanese arrival in Indonesia at that time, the Dutch colonial government decided to bring about 500 prisoners to Australia. During the period 1942-1943, about 1,200 people were detained in Cowra. Many of them died due to unpreparedness for the Australian weather in June which is the beginning of winter.