Sunday, August 17, 2008

17 Agustus 2008, Merdeka!

Under pressure from youth groups, Sukarno and Hatta proclaimed Indonesian independence, on 17 August 1945, two days after the Japanese Emperor’s surrender in the Pacific. The following day, the Central Indonesian National Committee (KNIP) declared Sukarno as the first President of Republic of Indonesia, and Hatta as a Vice President. During that time, people used to yell merdeka!, which means "freedom". The Indonesian National Revolution or Indonesian War of Independence was an armed conflict and diplomatic struggle between Indonesia and the Netherlands, and an internal revolution. The photo of Indonesian flag, Sang Merah Putih, the red and white, that I took with cloudy sky in the background is just expressing my thought since Indonesia is still having a lot of internal problems. Poverty and corruption are just two of them.


Happy Independence Day! Merdeka!

3 comments:

Jane Hards Photography said...

This was very interesting. We in the west often are so wrapped up in our domestic squabbles that we forget the world outside. Happy Independence Day!

The image is stunning, such a dramtic angle and so well siuited to accopmany the text.

melanie said...

Très belle photo ... mais on voit peu le drapeau.

Hilda said...

Belated happy independence day!

Sorry for the late greeting — my husband and I went off for the weekend.

Beautiful shot — I love the angle.