Sukarno

Sukarno , 1901-70, Indonesian statesman, first president of Indonesia. A leader of the radical nationalist movement founded in 1927, he was jailed and exiled by the Dutch at various times in the 1930s. During World War II, Sukarno cooperated with the Japanese when Indonesia was occupied by them, while still continuing his agitation for Indonesian independence. After the war he and Mohammad Hatta played a crucial part in the establishment (Aug., 1945) of the Republic of Indonesia . In the 1950s, Sukarno attempted to consolidate his multi-island nation. He established (1956) a "guided democracy," with a cabinet that represented all political parties. Regional and factional problems, however, led him, in July, 1959, to dissolve the constituent assembly and assume full dictatorial powers. In 1962, Sukarno ordered sporadic raids on Dutch New Guinea, intensifying a conflict that resulted in UN intervention; his action, however, brought Dutch New Guinea under Indonesian administration in May, 1963. Sukarno, who proclaimed himself president for life in 1963, increased his country's ties to Communist China in the late 1950s and 60s and admitted increasing numbers of Communists and pro-Communists to his government. In 1963 he announced his opposition to the British-sponsored Federation of Malaysia and withdrew (1965) Indonesia from the United Nations after Malaysia took its seat on the Security Council. An attempted Communist coup late in 1965 led to a military takeover in Indonesia by General Suharto , who replaced Sukarno as effective ruler of Indonesia. In 1966, Sukarno was stripped of his title of president for life. He remained under house arrest until his death. Megawati Sukarnoputri is his daughter.

Bibliography: See C. L. M. Penders, The Life and Times of Sukarno (1974); J. D. Legge, Sukarno (2d ed. 1985).

Sukarno, Achmad (1901–70),Indonesian engineering graduate from Bandung Technical College who, during the 1930s, led the nationalist movement against the Dutch authorities ruling the Netherlands East Indies (NEI). He was imprisoned and exiled but returned to chair a committee of four (Empat Serangkai, or Four-Leaf Clover) which, under Japanese occupation, ran an association of most of the island's nationalist parties. He worked with the occupiers (see collaboration) to gain his country's independence, which was eventually promised in September 1944. On 7 August 1945 he became chairman of the Japanese-approved Committee for the Preparation of Indonesian Independence whose members came from all over the NEI. However, an extremist group of young Indonesians—who believed independence had to be taken from, not granted by, the Japanese if the Allies were to support it—kidnapped Sukarno and his deputy at gun-point, and threatened to rise against the occupiers. But violence was averted and, with Japanese consent, Sukarno announced Indonesia's independence on 17 August 1945. He was then proclaimed first president of the Republic of Indonesia which was finally recognized by the Netherlands in 1949. See also anti-imperialism and Java.

Bibliography

Legge, J. , Sukarno. A Political Biography (London, 1972).