Bung Karno

ANNIVERSARY OF THE BIRTH OF BUNG KARNO


Soekarno was born on the 6th June 1901. It was not only the dawn of a new new day but of a new century. According to Javanese tradition, one born at the moment of sunrise is predestined for greatness. Soekarno was a child of the dawn.
Once his mother said to him , “Son, you are looking at the sunrise. And you , my son, will be a man of glory, a great leader of your people, because your mother gave birth to you at dawn.”
Many years later to his only sister he often said:"Sister, one day the universe will be in my hands'.
Indonesian history has proved that Soekarno was one of the greatest leaders, together with Hatta as Dwitunggal (duumvirate). Many Indonesians believe that without Soekarno, Indonesians would not have achieved their independence or that it would have been achieved much later.
Soekarno himself once admitted that he made mistakes. Who does not? Gandhi made mistakes, Lenin made mistakes, even prophets made mistake because all of them were human.
There is an area in which not many people understand Soekarno and this is regarding his views on women. As a matter of fact, Soekarno contributed a lot to women’s struggle towards equality. Here is a quotation from the sixth chapter of his book, Sarinah.
Today we are already independent. We already possessed a state. We already have the Republic. What are the women’s activities in the Republic of ours, what should the woman’s activities be in the struggle of out Republic? These are extremely important questions that must be thoroughly understood by all the leaders of the Indonesian women. If possible, let there be not even a single woman who does not understand, let not a single one amongst them be left behind! Without being of communist persuasion , I can admire Lenin’s saying,” Every cook must be able to participate in politics” It is for all women of Indonesia that I write this book. So that they comprehend, so that they take part in the struggle, so that they have a guide in the struggle. Whereas La Passionaria (Dolores Ibarouri) called in the Spanish Revolution: “ Women of Spain, be revolutionary – there is no revolutionary victory if there are no revolutionary women!” I say, “Women of Indonesia, be revolutionary – there is no revolutionary victory if there are no revolutionary women, and there are no revolutionary women if there is no revolutionary guide!”
So, actually Soekarno continued Kartini’s struggle toward emancipation of women in Indonesia.