Political Participation and Evolution of the Javanese in Suriname
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POLITICAL PARTICIPATION AND EVOLUTION OF THE JAVANESE IN SURINAME Abstract. The Dutch had brought the Javanese in Suriname in 1890 as indentured workers. Their promises had not been fulfilled, so they were disappointed. They had chosen Suriname as their homeland and had fought to become fulfilled citizens. They had struggled to survive and had been a silent power for a long time, but had fought to emancipate in every sector. In politics, due the restricted electoral system they had no rights in the beginning, but they did not give up. The political awareness of the Javanese had been stimulated by the “Merdeka- movements” in Indonesia and the foundations of electoral and cultural organizations. Since the foundations of the first Javanese political parties, theKTPI and PBIS, the political participation was growing. Iding Soemita and Salikin hardjo were the pioneers. They had fought for identity, leadership, image building and political power. The role of the non-political parties was very important. New Javanese split political parties were founded: the Kerngroup, SRI, Pendawalima, Pertaya Luhur, NPLO and D-21. Willy Soemita and Somohardjo had fought for leadership and political power. Efforts of Javanese parties to form a unity had failed. The Javanese took a balance position and had not only participated in Parliament, but also in government. In 1980 Military overthrew government .In the period 1949-2000 the Javanese became aware in politics. Up till now 68 Javanese parliamentarians had been elected and 30 Javanese Ministers had been appointed. The emancipation and integration process was successful. 1 Introduction The Javanese had been brought by the Dutch in Suriname in 1890 as indentured workers as a complementary to the British Indian labor force on the estates to work on the sugar cane - coffee - and cocoa plantations. From 1890- 1939 there were 34000 Javanese in Suriname [1]. The Colonial Government could not repatriate the Javanese to their homeland, Java. In Suriname they have to survive. They lived isolated in the rural areas without the most primary sanitary supplies.The Dutch language was for the Javanese children also a big handicap. Owing to their lack of a good social and educational background the Javanese could not occupied high-ranking positions in the Surinamese society. They obtained jobs on the fields, markets, householders, gardeners and others. These were the reasons why they did not want to stay in Suriname. They did not “krasan” [2]. They were longing to go to their homeland Java. This syndrome [3] was known as the " Mulih Njadawa-syndrome ". On the other hand the Javanese have also many cultural manners and customs, which take an important role in the integration process of the Surinamese society. The Javanese have too many kinds of cultural heritages. Their culture is a mixture of pre-Hindu , Bhuddist and pre-Islamic cultural elements[4]. So the Javanese have a complex history, a complex of religious and cultural history. The Javanese language, consists of basa [the language used when talking with older, influential people] and ngoko [the language with equal or lower people fading out. They had not only struggled to survive but also for emancipation and to integration in the Surinamese society. The emancipation and political participation process had passed very slowly. - What have been the obstacles and relation between these processes? - How the development of the Javanese political parties has been passed? - Why the political unity has failed up till now. - What had been the causes and consequences of the rivalry between Javanese political leaders? - What has been the role of the younger generation in general? - Why the Javanese do not implementate religion in poitics. - What has been the role and place of the women? 2 The political awakening. Although the Javanese had chosen their new homeland, Suriname, since 1900, they had to endured lots of juridical factors such as the census -and capacity suffrage during the Colonial government. The Javanese had participated in all kinds of political activities and organizations[5] but they had no rights. In 1938 the Colonial Government of Suriname had appointed Mr. Hendrik Miskin [6], as the first Javanese in Colonial Parliament, but he was only a figure. During the period of 1938-1948 there had been appointed three Javanese members of Colonial Parliament : Mr. Hendrik Miskin [1938], Mr. Ming Doelman [1946] and Mr. Johannes Karijodimedjo [1948]#.[# see review V] The “ Merdeka- [7] movements” [independence-movements], in Indonesia and the foundations of electoral and cultural organisations stimulated the political awareness of the Javanese. The first Javanese organisation was the Tjintoko Moeljo [Raising in Evil] in 1918. Since the political awakening, after the famous radio-speech of the Queen of the Netherlands in 1942, political parties had been founded on cultural, ethnical and religious basis. In the Creole bloc there were representatives of the Roman Catholics and Protestants who founded the National Party of Suriname [N.P.S.] in 1946 led by Mr. van der Schroeff and the Progressive Surinaamse Volksparty [P.S.V.] the Surinam Progressive People Party, founded by pastor Weidmann, in 1946. The Asian bloc consisted of the Muslim Party [MP], the Hinder Party [HP], founded in 1946 and the Javanese-Javanese Political Party [HJPP], founded in 1947. [More details see review III] Due to different problems the Javanese group left the HJPP and founded their own Javanese parties. In 1946, Mr. Saluki Hardjo had been the first, who had founded the Pergerakan Bangsa Indonesia Suriname [PBIS], which means the organization of the Indonesian People in Suriname. In 1948 Mr. Iding Soemita [8] had founded the Kaum Tani Persatuan Indonesia [KTPI], which means The Indonesian Peasant Party. In 1949, Mr. J. Lachmon[9] founded the Verenigde Hindostaanse Party [ V.H.P.] the United Hindustani Party. The Javanese had fully participated in any political activities and striven for emancipation for equality and justice. The first General elections in Suriname 1949 In spite of the resistance of the ruling elite the general suffrage had been held in 1949.Mr. Van der Schroeff, leader of the National Party of Suriname [ NPS ] had protested against the introduction of the general suffrage. In the 3 first elections of 1949 the PBIS and the KTPI had participated with great enthousiasm. The KTPI defeated the PBIS of Mr.S. Hardjo. The leader of the KTPI, Mr. Iding Soemita won the elections and obtained the name “ Merdeka figure “ [independence]. He was the first Javanese elected in Parliament of Suriname. Among the Javanese a fight had arisen not only for political leadership but also the political power. They wanted also to participate in government, but due to their political position they could not participate in government. The electoral system in that time was not favorable for the KTPI, who only had two seats[see review II] in Parliament to participated in government.** Otherwise the Javanese had not a potential leader. Iding Soemita took a “balance-position”in politics.[** see review IV] The role of the youth and intellectuals. In the beginning the political leader, Iding Soemita did not want to accommodate the intellectuals in the board of his party. He was afraid for his position,so the youth and the intellectuals did not participate fully in politics.Due the political culture,the youth and intellectuals were aware in politics since the sixties.Mr. Batin Amatkoesmin had founded a split party of the KTPI,the Kerngroup, in 1963. He got the fully support of the NPS.Since the Opendoor politics which were introduced by Willy Soemita in 1972, young educated and academics had participated slowly in politics.In 1987 intellectuals and academics had joint the KTPI. They had participated in Parliament and government. An Institute for the youth[ Jongereninstituut] was founded,also an Advisory Council .Nowadays there are many well- educated and academics in the different parties. The PPRS also their Advisory Council and the Pertaya Luhur their Institute for Political Affairs, named by the late Ing. Amat Saleh. Workshops and seminars had been held to stimulate and mobilize the younger generation.The participation of high school students is also increased in the different political activities. The role and place of women. The Javanese women had played an important role in the different activities,since the beginning of the polical awakening. In the first place they were very active in the elections meetings and fellow-workers. But the political leaders had not accomodated them in their boards,due their adat and status. So they could not participated for a long time in the fight for a seat in Parliament not even in government. Politics is men. Although women have 4 got the same rights in politics, they had taken only a second place in the field of electoral activities for gaining a seat in Parliament.The NPS was the first party to candidate a Javanese woman[Mrs. Annemarie Soeperman- Resopawiro[10] for Parliament in 1963.Since 1987, due the new electoral system, many Javanese women had claimed to participate in regional and national levels. The political awareness is growing. Mrs. Roekaya Kertokalio-Moertabat is the first elected Javanese woman in Parliament in May 2000.In May 2000 the different political parties had candadated many women in regional and national level[ National Assemblee]. On national level: Mrs .Soelijem Emid, Dra. Heidi Wirjosentono[11],Miss. Ann Sadi,Mrs Erla Asmanom. On regional level: Mrs.Peggy Amatmoekrin, Miss. Soraya Kartokromo,Mrs. Marlene Saimo,Mrs. A.Moeljosoewit- Ronoreso,Miss.Irien Kromodirjo and Mrs.Kemi Arsawikarta. They also participated in the different boards and committees of government. Nowadays you can find them in any possible sectors,also in government. Mrs.A. Kartosemito is the first Javanese women in Cabinet of Venetiaan as Junior Minister of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Housing.