☆ Why Indonesia’s Veterans Must Not Be Forgotten

“Don’t think that war veterans are a group of weak old men who need to be pitied,” said 89-year-old Sudirman, chairman of the Bandung chapter of the Veterans Legion of the Republic of Indonesia, in his office in West Java.

Sudirman is far from what many would imagine an elderly gentleman in his late 80s to be. While his hair is grey and his skin soft and loose, his voice is loud and assertive, his posture big and intimidating and his memories are sharp.

Sporting a pair of maroon-tinted bifocal glasses and a complete veteran uniform littered with medals, ribbons and patches, the chairman of the organization known as the LVRI said that there are 600 veterans who fought for the country’s independence in the West Java capital, and another 400 veterans who participated in later wars and military operations.

The veterans have had mixed success in coping with post-military life. Some veterans, he said, have become successful entrepreneurs or found work in private companies or public offices. But there are also those living below the poverty line who risk being homeless as they still occupy military-owned properties.

Despite this the veterans only need respect and recognition instead of monetary assistance, Sudirman said.

“Veterans never ask what the country is doing to repay our services,” he said. “Veterans have one thing many others do not, moral [dignity].”

Yusuf Tasdik, the LVRI Bandung secretary, said that Sudirman had become a strong advocate for former servicemen.

“The veterans are old but what they want is for people not to forget about them,” he said.

“[Sudirman] constantly has to remind the public that those who fought for our independence are still around, including those participating in Bandung Lautan Api [Sea of Fire]. Without them this city would not be here today,” Yusuf said, referring to the series of standoffs between independence fighters in Bandung and the allied forces looking to reoccupy Indonesia after the Japanese surrendered.

On March 22, 1946, with the prospect of the city falling into the hands of the occupiers, Bandung residents torched their own properties and the city became “a sea of fire” hence the name Bandung Lautan Api .

“Instead of our homes falling to the hands of the enemy, people would rather set their own houses on fire,” Sudirman, who participated in the standoffs, explained. Sudirman said that after the incident, fighters like him retreated to the countryside and jungle, and launched a guerilla war which lasted until the Dutch officially ceded power and recognized Indonesia as a sovereign state in 1949.

Sudirman first joined the Indonesian militia just a week after Indonesia declared independence in 1945. At the time, the Bandung militia was led by Abdullah Saleh, commander of the much feared Laskar Beruang Merah (Red Bear Troops) armed with weaponry taken from abandoned Japanese bases.

After the war ended in 1949, Sudirman stayed in the military before retiring with the rank of Sgt. Maj. Sudirman. He later joined LVRI Bandung and in 2001 became its chairman.

Yusuf, whose father served with Sudirman and later became a soldier, said Sudirman was trying to make sure Bandung was recognized for its significance in the nation’s struggle for independence. He added that Sudirman was lobbying the government to make more statues and monuments to honor veterans and heroes.

While existing monuments are maintained by veterans, Yusuf said it should be the government’s job to maintain them.

It is clear that Sudirman does not like to boast about his own achievements and struggles as the LVRI chairman. He listened quietly as Yusuf explained how hard Sudirman has had to work just to build awareness about the day to day plight many veterans face.

But when Yusuf brought up the subject of monuments, he broke his silence.

“It’s like a son disowning a mother who has brought him into the world, raising and feeding him,” he said, adding that he was saddened by the cases of corruption, terrorism and sectarian violence plaguing the nation. He said: “this is not the country our founding fathers have envisioned.”

Sri Wismayanti, Sudirman’s daughter, said that her father still had a fighting spirit even though he was no longer in the military and close to 90 years old, adding that he would often feel empty if he did not keep himself busy by either campaigning for veterans or writing books about history.

“What I see is that when you grow old, your health deteriorates when you sit still. They are happy when they feel they can still make some contribution to the country, when their voices are heard. These things mean more to them than material possession,” she said.

Sudirman, chairman of the Bandung chapter of the Veterans Legion of the Republic of Indonesia, is a strong advocate for former serviceman.[JG Photos/Yuli Krisna]

  ● Jakarta Globe