# B. INDONESIA
Di penghujung Perang Dunia II, sebuah republik baru lahir lewat proklamasi kemerdekaan yang ditandatangani Sukarno-Hatta, atas nama seluruh rakyat Indonesia.
Tanggal 17 Agustus 1945 adalah hari keramat bagi bangsa Indonesia. Namun, Belanda kala itu tak sudi mengakuinya.
Belanda yang menjajah Indonesia sejak Abad ke-16, mau kehilangan wilayah koloni di Asia yang jadi sumber pundi-pundi kekayaan: teh, kopi, rempah-rempah, tekstil, minyak, mineral, dan banyak lainnya.
Seperti dikutip dari situs Radio Netherlands Worldwide (RNW), Pemerintah Belanda pun merespons dengan mengirim pasukan ke Hindia, untuk melakukan apa yang disebut sebagai 'Aksi Polisionil'.
Belanda menghindari istilah 'perang kolonial', menolak untuk mengakui bahwa itu adalah konflik antara dua negara dan menganggapnya sebagai masalah internal.
Aksi polisionil besar-besaran dilakukan dua kali: Agresi Militer I dan II. Tujuannya, mengembalikan Nusantara sebagai sapi perah Holland.
Pertempuran tak hanya melibatkan bedil dan bambu runcing, tapi juga perang urat syarat di meja perundingan.
Dari Perjanjian Linggarjati, Renville, hingga Roem-van Roijen, perundingan berujung pada penyerahan kedaulatan dari Negeri Belanda ke Republik Indonesia pada 27 Desember 1949.
Kabar tersebut disambut kegembiraan. "Drum berhias pita merah putih ditabuh di Jawa, Sumatra, Bali, Kalimantan, hingga Timor," demikian cuplikan isi artikel "Indonesia Opens New Chapter as Sovereign State", yang dimuat koran Australia Canberra Times pada 28 Desember 1949.
"Hari ini, Batavia kembali ke nama lamanya, Jakarta."
Sementara, warga dan tentara Belanda mengangkat gelas untuk, bersulang untuk Ratu Juliana serta bersiap menutup lembaran terakhir penjajahan selama 300 tahun lebih.
Upacara penyerahan kedaulatan dari Belanda ke Indonesia digelar tiga kali.
Pertama, di Amsterdam, tepatnya di Istana Op de Dam. Wakil Presiden sekaligus perdana menteri, Mohamad Hatta memimpin delegasi Indonesia dalam Konferensi Meja Bundar (KMB).
"Kedua negara (Belanda dan Indonesia) tak lagi saling berlawanan, kini kita berdiri berdampingan," kata Ratu Belanda Juliana kala itu, sesaat setelah naskah penyerahan kedaulatan ditandatangani.
Bung Hatta yang bicara Bahasa Indonesia dalam sebuah pertemuan KMB menekankan pentingnya penyelesaian damai konflik dua negara. "Empat tahun lamanya rakyat kita timbal balik hidup dalam persengketaan, karena merasa dendam di dalam hati ... Bangsa Indonesia dan Bangsa Belanda, kedua-duanya akan mendapat bahagianya. Anak cucu kita, angkatan kemudian akan berterima kasih pada kita," kata dia.
Sementara itu di Istana Negara, Jakarta, penyerahan kedaulatan dilakukan antara wakil tinggi mahkota Belanda di Indonesia Tony Lovink dan Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono IX, sebagai wakil perdana menteri.
Setelah penandatanganan itu, Sultan dan Tony Lovink keluar, berdiri di depan Istana. Di sana bendera Belanda diturunkan.
"Sebentar terdengar sorakan, tapi segera berhenti," demikian diungkapkan Herman Burgers, tentara Belanda yang menjadi saksi peristiwa tersebut -- meski hanya lewat radio --dalam bukunya De Garoeda en de Ooievaar, seperti Liputan6.com kutip dari situs Radio Nederland.
Lalu, senyap, semua diam. Bendera Merah-Putih dikibarkan dalam suasana dramatis. Namun, "Ada kecelakaan kecil, karena bendera itu sempat tertahan. Seorang prajurit Belanda membantu prajurit TNI membereskannya, lalu tibalah saat yang dinanti-nanti, sang saka merah putih berkibar," tambah Herman. Maka pecahlah sorak sorai ribuan orang.
Dari penuturan Herman, ternyata ada upacara lain yang dilaksanakan hari itu. Yang tidak disiarkan lewat radio. Upacara ketiga tersebut dilakukan di Gedung Negara, Yogyakarta. Di tengah rapat Komite Nasional Indonesia Pusat (KNPI).
Sukarno kala itu menyerahkan tugas-tugas kepresidenannya untuk sementara kepada Assaat, ketua KNIP. Sesudah itu, Assaat, sebagai wakil Republik Indonesia yang didirikan pada tanggal 17 Agustus 1945, menyerahkan kedaulatan Republik Indonesia kepada Republik Indonesia Serikat yang diwakili oleh presiden terpilihnya: Sukarno sendiri.
"Yang bagi saya penting adalah tindakan simbolisnya. Assaat menyerahkan sebuah kotak kayu berisi bendera yang pada tanggal 17 Agustus 1945 dikibarkan di Pegangsaan Timur 56. Bendera itu dijahit sendiri oleh Fatmawati," kata Herman.
Menurut dia, upacara ketiga punya arti sangat penting. "Upacara ini harus berlangsung karena kedaulatan Indonesia tidak hanya berdasarkan pada yang diterimanya dari Belanda."
Namun juga didasarkan pada Proklamasi 17 Agustus 1945. Penegasan bahwa kemerdekaan RI direbut dan diperjuangkan, bukan sekedar hadiah.
Awalnya Belanda kukuh mengakui kemerdekaan Indonesia adalah pada 27 Desember 1949, hari ketika soevereiniteitsoverdracht (penyerahan kedaulatan) ditandatangani. Bukan pada 17 Agustus 1945.
Pengakuan baru diberikan pada pada 16 Agustus 2005, sehari sebelum peringatan 60 tahun proklamasi kemerdekaan Indonesia. Dalam pidato Menlu Belanda Bernard Rudolf Bot di Gedung Depar
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# B. INGGRIS
At the end of World War II, a new republic was born through the proclamation of independence signed by Sukarno-Hatta, on behalf of all Indonesian people.
August 17, 1945 was a sacred day for the Indonesian people. However, the Dutch were not willing to admit it at the time.
The Dutch, who colonized Indonesia since the 16th century, wanted to lose the colonies in Asia that were the source of wealth: tea, coffee, spices, textiles, oil, minerals, and many others.
As quoted from the website of the Netherlands Worldwide Radio (RNW), the Dutch Government responded by sending troops to the Indies, to do what is called 'Police Action'.
The Dutch avoided the term 'colonial war', refusing to acknowledge that it was a conflict between two countries and regarded it as an internal problem.
Massive police action was carried out twice: Military Aggression I and II. The goal is to return the archipelago as Holland's dairy cow.
The battle involved not only sharp rifles and bamboo, but also physical warfare conditions at the negotiating table.
From the Linggarjati, Renville, to Roem-van Roijen Agreements, the negotiations led to the transfer of sovereignty from the Netherlands to the Republic of Indonesia on December 27, 1949.
The news was greeted with joy. "Drums decorated with red and white ribbons were beaten on Java, Sumatra, Bali, Kalimantan, to Timor," the excerpt from the article "Indonesia Opens New Chapter as Sovereign State," published in the Australian newspaper Canberra Times on December 28, 1949.
"Today, Batavia returns to its old name, Jakarta."
Meanwhile, Dutch citizens and soldiers raised their glasses to toast Queen Juliana and prepared to close the last 300 years of occupation.
The ceremony to hand over sovereignty from the Netherlands to Indonesia was held three times.
First, in Amsterdam, precisely at the Palace of Op de Dam. The Vice President and prime minister, Mohamad Hatta led the Indonesian delegation at the Round Table Conference (KMB).
"The two countries (the Netherlands and Indonesia) no longer oppose each other, now we stand side by side," said the Dutch Queen Juliana at the time, shortly after the text of the sovereignty handover was signed.
Bung Hatta who spoke Indonesian at a KMB meeting stressed the importance of a peaceful settlement of the two-state conflict. "For four years our people have been living in a conflict, because they feel resentment in the heart ... the Indonesian people and the Dutch nation, both of them will get the happiness. Our grandchildren, the generation will then thank us," he said.
Meanwhile at the State Palace, Jakarta, the transfer of sovereignty was carried out between the high representative of the Dutch crown in Indonesia Tony Lovink and Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX, as deputy prime minister.
After the signing, the Sultan and Tony Lovink came out, standing in front of the Palace. There the Dutch flag was lowered.
"There was a moment of cheering, but it immediately stopped," said Herman Burgers, the Dutch soldier who witnessed the event - even if only via radio - in his book De Garoeda en de Ooievaar, as Liputan6.com quoted from the Radio Netherlands website.
Then, quietly, all silent. The Red-White Flag was raised in a dramatic atmosphere. However, "There was a minor accident, because the flag had been held back. A Dutch soldier helped TNI soldiers clean it up, then the anticipated time arrived, the saka merah putih fluttered," Herman added. Then there were thousands of cheers.
From Herman's account, it turned out that there was another ceremony that was held that day. Which is not broadcast via radio. The third ceremony was held at the State Building, Yogyakarta. In the middle of the meeting of the Central Indonesian National Committee (KNPI).
Sukarno at the time handed over his presidential duties temporarily to Assaat, chairman of the KNIP. After that, Assaat, as the representative of the Republic of Indonesia which was established on August 17, 1945, surrendered the sovereignty of the Republic of Indonesia to the Republic of Indonesia United States represented by its elected president: Sukarno himself.
"What is important to me is the symbolic action. Assaat handed over a wooden box containing a flag which was flown on August 17, 1945 at Pegangsaan Timur 56. The flag was sewn by Fatmawati himself," said Herman.
According to him, the third ceremony had a very important meaning. "This ceremony must take place because Indonesian sovereignty is not only based on what it receives from the Netherlands."
But it was also based on the August 17, 1945 Proclamation. The assertion was that Indonesia's independence was captured and fought for, not just a gift.
Initially the Dutch firmly recognized Indonesia's independence on December 27, 1949, the day when soevereiniteitsoverdracht (the transfer of sovereignty) was signed. Not on August 17, 1945.
New recognition was given on August 16, 2005, the day before the 60th anniversary of the proclamation of Indonesian independence. In the speech of the Dutch Foreign Minister Bernard Rudolf Bot at the Departement Building