Stichting Vrienden van Linggarjati

1. Preface by the Chairman

2. Objective and means

3. Composition of the Board

4. Museum Linggarjati, historical background and value today

5. Plans for the future

Stichting Vrienden van Linggarjati
-Secretary: Hengelosestraat 705
- Postbox 545 - 7500 AM
- Enschede - Netherland
-phone +31-534836324
- fax +31-534280848
- E-mail hoemakers@tridicare.nl
-Bankaccount ABN-AMRO Delden nr.59.93.83.313

1.Preface by the chairman

The formation of the foundation Vrienden van Linggarjati (friends of Linggarjati) is the result of a fruitful cooperation with the Forum Indonesia Nederland (FINED). Both organisations contributed, each in its own way, to the present programme. The Dutch government holds the objective point of view that between the Netherlands and Indonesia there is no special bond anymore: at government level both countries have dealings with one another like they have with other friendly nations. As is apparent from the name of the foundation, the situation is quite different for the Friends of Linggarjati They maintain warm bonds with Indonesia because it is the country where they grew up, where their 'roots' are and which brings back many sweet memories. For the post-war Dutch army men Indonesia is the place where they served either as volunteers or by order of the Dutch government under extremely difficult circumstances. Whatsoever may have been their experiences, they are indelibly stamped on their memories. That is how many fared on in the recent or further back past. For the foundation Vrienden van Linggarjati , 350 years of common history is a reality which cannot be ignored. The bonds developed during these years of common history still exist.

For me the agreement of Linggarjati is the very symbol of this long-standing relationship. The building in which in 1947 the agreement and therewith the factual recognition of the Republic of Indonesia was signed, is also the house where I was born and where I spent ten happy years. Together with another seven houses, all built by my father, it was the beginning of Linggarjati. Linggarjati will be famous some day as my father used to say and history has proved him right. Two of the original seven houses are still there. I am very pleased that those two buildings have been turned into a museum by the Republic of Indonesia, to show the world the history of which the Netherlands once were a part.

The foundation Vrienden van Linggarjati wishes to dedicate itself to the promotion of this part of history in the museum and in this way hopes to guarantee the continuity of a three hundred and fifty years lasting adventure.

Willem A. A. van Os.

2. Objective and means

Objective

The objective of the Foundation Vrienden van Linggarjati is to maintain the Linggarjati museum as a part of the common history of two peoples and to promote the knowledge of that history both in Indonesia and the Netherlands.

Means to achieve the objective

- acquisition of donations, subsidies, sponsoring, funds and other monies
- cooperation with organisations with similar objectives
- restoration and maintenance of the buildings and collections
- organisation of activities for the purpose of transferring knowledge about events connected with 'Linggarjati' and contemplation of the impact of such events
- contacting educational bodies and media in order to achieve a definitive educational programme
- promotion of tourism and special (history oriented) trips to Linggarjati.

Function of the organisation

The foundation serves as an intermediary between the museum and all those who are interested in the common history of Indonesia and the Netherlands. Its aim is to build a bridge to the Indonesian and Dutch society in general and in particular to the youth of the two countries.

Working area

The working area primarily comprises the Netherlands and Indonesia and secondary the international society.

3. Composition of the board, positions and responsabilities

Executive board

General board

Recommending committee

Apart from the Board we wish to install a recommending committee. A cross-section of the Dutch society. Experts in their particular field. People from education, politics, employers' organisations and trade unions, technique, science, church, social and welfare work, sports, the diplomatic service, etc. People who recognize the importance of the knowledge that from history lessons are generated for the future. People who consider their 'own' history of great importance and wish to conserve it for future generations.

4. The museum at Linggarjati, historical background and its value for today

The Netherlands and Indonesia have a long history of going together which has had a fundamental effect on both nations. It was a trading and later colonial relationship in which in most cases the interests of the Netherlands had priority. For the Netherlands the bond with Indonesia led to extensive specialisation in the commercial, cultural and scientific field which until far into the twentieth century determined the face of the small country at the North Sea. As for Indonesia the balance of the advantages and disadvantages is still subject of intensive discussions and obviously it is not so easy to come to a conclusive assessment. Nevertheless, the presence of the Dutch led to the formation of the colonial state of the Dutch East Indies which in an increasing degree was also accepted by the inhabitants of the archipelago as their own country. During the years preceding the Second World War an Indonesian national movement for independence had developed. The Dutch government however turned down any proposal for fundamental reform: it was too early and one didn't really like to give up the profits resulting from the "East". Besides it was argued that the Dutch East Indies would not be able to stand on its own legs without the guidance of the Dutch.

In those years the Dutch could get away with that attitude. However that was no longer the case after the Japanese occupation (from March 1942 till August 1945) when the Dutch had to determine its attitude towards the country again. The defeat of the KNIL against the Japanese and the subsequent occupation had weakened the position of the Dutch, whereas during that same period the national movement succeeded in organising itself. On 17 August 1945 Sukarno and Hatta proclaimed the independent Republic of Indonesia which led to a conflict with the returning Dutch authorities. Which would continue to exist until 27 December 1949 when the sovereign Republic of the United States of Indonesia was formed. The years in-between were marked by conflict and discussion whilst the Dutch tried to regain control and made a last effort to organise Indonesia according to their own ideas. Against the Republican unitary state the Dutch wanted a federal Indonesia in which not only the interests of the many minorities, but also their own interests would be secured. The end result did indeed meet the Dutch wishes in form but not in content. The independent Indonesia established its own priorities. The federation disappeared and half a year after the transfer of sovereignty the unitary state became a fact.

So from 17 August 1945 till 27 December 1949 the Netherlands and the Republic of Indonesia were most of the time opponents. Both parties used to put big armies into the field that put up a good fight, but at the same time there were continuous efforts to come to a solution by negotiation. This led to a series of conferences among which the consultations which took place in Linggarjati on West Java from 11 through 13 November played a memorable role. Here some knots were cut, at least in principle which created room for further consultation. There the Netherlands recognized the Indonesian Republic as being in charge of Java and Sumatra whereas the latter for the time being recognized the Dutch sovereignty and declared itself prepared to cooperate in the formation of the federal state desired by the Dutch, the United States of Indonesia. The United States of Indonesia would be united with the Netherlands in a common bond to be called the Dutch-Indonesian Union. The agreement was signed by both parties on 25 March 1947. 'Linggarjati' did not immediately lead to an elaborated agreement. The text was informal and left both parties room for their own interpretation. As a result there were two outbreaks of war in the years that followed which, rather euphemistically, were called police actions. Although they changed the actual circumstances they did not solve the underlying problems. The subsequent further discussions always took place on the basis of the principles established in Linggarjati. The same principles can be found in the results of the Round Table Conference which took place in The Hage in October 1949 and which cleared the road for the transfer of the sovereignty.

The postwar relationship between the Netherlands and Indonesia were toilsome. Divers ideals were pursued with increasing bitterness. But there were also moments of awakening hope for a solution that would do justice to human values belonging to the cultural heritage of the people in both countries. Linggarjati was one of those shining moments. It symbolizes the limited but nevertheless real meaning of the force of reason and good will in a world in which violence unfortunately seems to be the rule. By a lucky coincidence, the two houses in which the negotiations took place were saved. Already in November 1991 it became possible to use them as a museum to keep the memories of those times alive. The foundation of this museum was an Indonesian initiative which was realized with the help of moderate Dutch support. Now, ten years later, the same museum in Linggarjati is visited by an increasing number of visitors every month (3 to 4000) from inside Indonesia and abroad. An important part of the visitors are Indonesian students who visit the museum within the framework of the annual obligatory group excursion programme. The Indonesia-Nederland (FINED) and the Foundation Vrienden van Linggarjati wish to contribute to the maintenance and improvement of the Museum and its collection so as to guarantee that it will continue to fulfil its task as a marking point in a momentous history.

Right now, the museum is arranged in a very direct way to keep the memory of the moment of the conference alive. The main building, now named the 'Gedung Naskah' (the building of the agreement), has been arranged in the way it was at the time the conference took place. Some dioramas, paintings and drawings have been added so as to keep the memory of the people involved alive. The second building, known as the 'Huis Sjahrir', at a few minutes' walking distance, mainly contains a collection of etchings by Henk Ngantung, who attended the conference as a cartoonist. This is a useful starting point for further completion of the museum. Also in the future the main objective will be to keep the memory of this historical event alive. It will be endeavoured to show more of the context in which it took place. Linggarjati offers a good starting point for expositions about a wide range of aspects of the Dutch- Indonesian relationship during the years of war and revolution, but also during the times before and after. Furthermore the theme offers room for attention to a wider international context in which these events took place. An immediate fact is that the conference took place under the auspices of Lord Killearn who had been delegated by the British government to assist the disputing parties. In a later phase of the dispute other bodies including the United Nations played a role. It might be an attractive idea to recall this by means of fixed or temporary expositions.

Linggarjati is not only a milestone in the history of the Dutch-Indonesian relationship. It is also a milestone in a long lasting discussion about the organisation of the Indonesian state. The agreement goes back to ideas that had been formed during the pre-war discussions about the Law on the constitution of the Dutch Indies, the Soetardjo petition and the memorandum of the Gabungan Polictis Indonesia. Neither can Linggarjati be separated from the Sumpah Pemudah and the discussions in the Badan Penyelidik Usaha-Usaha Persiapan Kemerdekaan Indonesia, where the unitary state of the Republick of Indonesia was born. Besides the freedom of the country being the central issue at Linggarjati, a second item of discussion was the question as to how the relation between the component parts of the immense archipelago and the centre would be arranged. The then chosen option of a federal Indonesia under the circumstances of an often difficult decolonisation process appeared not to be a feasible solution. Nevertheless the discussions about the rights of the region as against those of the centre continue to be an item of discussion up till today. Also here there are numerous possibilities for design and representation for which the museum offers the right ambiance.

5. Plans for the future

From these three lines of approach, i.e. international relations, independence of Indonesia and the internal organisation of the country, the theme 'Linggarjati' offers the possibility to extend the present buildings into a museum for the constitutional history of Indonesia. The museum was inaugurated in 1991 with a common conference. After 10 years its collection deteriorated. In 2000 the Indonesian Form Indonesia-Nederland (FINED) held a conference at the museum. There it was decided something would be done. In the Netherlands this resulted in the formation of the Stichting Vrienden van Linggarjati (SVL). Initiator was dr. W. van Os, whose father built the houses In Linggarjati in the twenties and who spent his childhood there. His personal memories supported his wish to serve a greater purpose, something that occurs frequently in the complex of the relations between the Netherlands and Indonesia. Others supported his initiative. As a result a small team of FINED and SVL members visited Linggarjati in the year 2000 to make a first inventory together with the local authorities of what would be required, desired and possible. It appeared to be necessary to renovate the two buildings and to come to an agreement with the local authorities about the development of the compound. Apart from that the museological setting is capable of improvement. As for the course to be taken the visiting team felt able to formulate come conclusions that can be worked out in greather detail with all parties concerned. For the deelopment of the 'Gedung Naskah' the present point of departure should be maintained which means that the house is arranged the way it was at the time of the conference. Furthermore some rooms will have to be rearranged in such a way that the importance of the conference is further illustrated in museological form. Subsequently three routes are to be plotted throughout the building by means of audiovisual equipment based on the three chosen lines of approach. These routes will be chosen in such a way that they reflect the course of affairs during the conference itself as well as the events immediately before and afterwards. The 'Huis Sjahrir', which at the moment has practically no museological function will be arranged for expositions. Here one could consider settings for longer periods of time, like for instance three years. That way the museum management and the SVL would always have something to think about to avoid fossilization. The opening of a new exposition will offer good opportunities to attract extra attention to the museum and its historical value. Also the exposition themes to be chosen will be base on the three selected lines of approach, though taken in a wider perspective. Both the fixed settings and the changing expositions are meant to stimulate the discussion about a past which is viewed in the two countries in a completely different way. The two countries may have a common history, but this does not mean that they have shared memories.

It is the wish of the Stichting Vrienden van Linggarjati that the museum will function as the hinge point in a continuously changing exchange of ideas which will eventually result in a stronger convergence of the historical image in the two countries. This was, regarded in retrospect also the objective of the historical event which led to the creation of the museum.