When Bung Hatta (Mohammad Hatta) was detained by the Dutch colonizers for a relatively long time in the Boven Digul prison in Irian (now Papua), he wrote a phenomenal book titled “Rowing Between Two Rocks”. This book later became the basis for the implementation of Indonesia’s independent and active foreign policy.
Meanwhile, when Bung Karno (Sukarno) was detained in the Sukamiskin prison in Bandung for also a relatively long time, he wrote a phenomenal book titled “Under the Banner of Revolution”. This book inspired the younger generation with the noble values of the struggle.
When asked what motivated these “Founding Fathers” to create written works that later became a historical legacy? Both loudly responded that “the future of Indonesia must be better!”
I present these two historic examples of the nation’s founders to motivate, especially students, that writing is not merely self-actualization, but truly carries a message
About: Boven Digul prison
Boven Digul was a remote penal colony established by the Dutch colonial government in the early 20th century in the swampy jungles of Papua, Indonesia. It was notoriously used to detain Indonesian nationalists and other political prisoners who opposed Dutch colonial rule. The harsh conditions and isolation of the camp made it one of the most dreaded prisons in the Dutch East Indies, symbolizing the oppressive nature of colonial administration and contributing to the growing resistance movement that eventually led to Indonesian independence.
About: Sukamiskin prison
Sukamiskin Prison, located in Bandung, Indonesia, is a minimum-security facility primarily known for housing inmates convicted of corruption. Established during the Dutch colonial period in 1914, it has historically been used to detain political prisoners. In recent years, Sukamiskin Prison has gained notoriety for its relatively luxurious accommodations for prisoners, which has sparked public controversy and debates about the treatment of inmates in Indonesia.
