Indonesia (Cherry, Plum, and Chrysanthemum)

Indonesia, officially the United States of Indonesia (Indonesian: Negara Indonesia Serikat), is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 17,508 islands. It consists of 23 federal provinces and 12 special-governed territories with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. The nation's capital city is Jakarta.

The country shares land borders with Papua New Guinea, North Borneo, Sarawak and the Portuguese overseas province of Portuguese Timor. Other neighboring countries include Malaya, Sulu, Philippines, Australia, the Japanese territory of the Nan'yo Islands, and the British overseas territory of Andaman and Nicobar.

Indonesia is a multi-ethnic and multi-cultural nation. Across its many islands, there are over 300 ethnic groups and more than 700 living languages are spoken in Indonesia. The largest - and politically dominant - ethnic group are the Javanese. A shared identity has developed, defined by a national language, ethnic diversity, religious pluralism within a majority Muslim population, and a history of colonialism and rebellion against it. Despite its large population and densely populated regions, Indonesia has vast areas of wilderness that support the world's second highest level of biodiversity.

Netherlands East Indies
The first regular contact between Europeans and the peoples of Indonesia began in 1512, when Portuguese traders, led by Francisco Serrão, sought to monopolize the sources of nutmeg, cloves and cubeb pepper in Maluku. Dutch and British traders followed. In 1602 the Dutch established the Dutch East India Company (VOC) and became the dominant European power. Following bankruptcy, the VOC was formally dissolved in 1800, and the government of the Netherlands established the Dutch East Indies as a nationalized colony.

From the arrival of the first Dutch ships in the late sixteenth century, to the independence of Indonesia in 1950, Dutch control over the Indonesian archipelago was always tenuous. Although Java was dominated by the Dutch, many areas remained independent throughout much of this time including, , Lombok and Borneo. There were numerous wars and disturbances across the archipelago as various indigenous groups resisted efforts to establish a Dutch hegemony. It was not until the early 20th century, that Dutch dominance was extended across to the future territory of modern-day Indonesia.

From about 1840, Dutch national expansionism saw them wage a series of wars to enlarge and consolidate their possessions in the outer islands. Although Indonesian rebellions broke out, direct colonial rule was extended throughout the rest of the archipelago from 1821 to 1910 and control taken from the remaining independent local rulers. The Bird's Head Peninsula (Western New Guinea), was brought under Dutch administration in 1920. This final territorial range would form the territory of Indonesia.

In 1901, Queen Wilhelmina announced that the Netherlands accepted an ethical responsibility for the welfare of their colonial subjects that could be summarized in the 'Three Policies' of Irrigation, Transmigration and Education. Upgrading the infrastructure of ports and roads in East Indies was a high priority for the Dutch, with the goal of modernizing the economy, facilitating commerce, and speeding up military movements. The government policy on education, however, brought the Western political ideas of freedom and democracy. During the 1920s and 30s, this small elite began to articulate a rising anti-colonialism and a national consciousness. However, the Dutch colonial government strongly repressed all attempts at change and suppressed the Indonesian nationalist movement. Political freedoms under the Dutch were limited at best.

In October 1908, the first native emancipation movement was formed,, which followed by the establishment of first nationalist mass movement, , in 1912. It brought the Indonesians together, using the banner of Islam in opposition to Dutch rule, however, it had not nationalist agenda, and was often more anti-Chinese than anti-Dutch. In contrast, the (Indonesian: Partai Komunis Indonesia, PKI), formed in 1920, was a fully-fledged independence party inspired by European politics. In 1926, it attempted a revolution throughout Indonesia through isolated insurrections across Java that panicked the Dutch, who arrested and exiled thousands of communists, effectively neutralizing the PKI for the remainder of the Dutch occupation.

In approximately 1920 that the word "Indonesia" came into its modern usage. Created by English ethnologists, George Windsor Earl and James Richardson Logan, in 1850s to classify the ethnic and geographic area, "Indonesia" was used upon by the nationalists as a word to imagine a unity of peoples of the archipelago. On October 28, 1928, the name "Indonesia" gained more political significance when the native pro-independence nationalist youth acknowledged Indonesia as one motherland, one nation, and uphold Indonesian language, that based on Bazaar Malay language, as the language of unity.

In the 20th century the colony gradually developed as a state distinct from Metropolitan Netherlands with treasury separated in 1903, public loans being contracted by the colony from 1913, and quasi-diplomatic ties were established with Hejaz to manage the Hajj pilgrimage from the Dutch East Indies. In 1922 the colony came on equal footing with the Netherlands in the Dutch constitution, while remaining under the Ministry of Colonies. A proto-parliament, the (Indonesian: Dewan Rakjat; People's Council), also established in 1916 and convened in 1918. The Volksraad was limited to an advisory role and only small portions of the indigenous population were able to vote for its members. Nevertheless, the Volksraad used as the medium of political struggle by the Indonesian nationalist to achieve the goal of independence or, at least, a self-government.

When the nationalist movements were mostly suppressed and its main leaders were arrested and exiled, the Indonesian independence movement began to shift its political strategy toward parliamentary struggle. Leading nationalist figures within the Volksraad, that led by, had admitted the option for self-government for Indonesia to the Dutch parliament in 1939. However, the option was rejected by the Dutch government in 1941 that believed its biggest and most precious colony remained not ready and unprepared for even government itself.

Following the invasion of the Netherlands by the Third Reich in May 1940 and establishment of Dutch government-in-exile in London, Queen Wilhelmina delivered a radio speech that denouncing the invasion. Within the speech, the Queen also defining the future relations between the Netherlands and her Empire after the war as well, especially the Dutch East Indies. The speech was welcomed warmly by the Indonesian nationalists that supported for the self-governing right of the Indonesians. Prominent Indonesian nationalists that being exiled by the colonial government such as and  even wrote the letters to the Governor-General in support for the Dutch cause and the Allies.

Motivated by the speech, the (GAPI, Indonesian: Gaboengan Politik Indonesia) as the main nationalist movement began to organize political rallies on several cities such as in, , , , , , , and , in support for self-government status. On his speech before the GAPI political rally on Batavia on March 1941, Thamrin delivered his famous speech, "We Are Indonesian", that emphasized the national identity of the Indies people as "Indonesian" and their motherland as "Indonesia" instead of "the Indies". The speech also against the social class system that implemented by the colonial government and the support for the self-determination right of every nation in the spirit of Atlantic Charter.

Thamrin's speech, while received enormously by the Indonesian nationalists, infuriated the colonial government that accused Thamrin as a spy who working for Thailand. After the Battle of Malacca Strait, the Battle of Penang and the Battle of Sabang between joint British-Dutch forces against the Thai navy on September 1941, Thamrin and other nationalist leaders such as, and  were taken into house-arrest by the colonial government shortly after the battles. The arrest, however, only radicalized the nationalist movement. Several demonstrations were organized by the GAPI throughout the colony. The exiled nationalist leaders, such as Sukarno, and, even begged the Governor-General for the release of GAPI leaders.

After received such pressures, Governor-General finally released Thamrin and other nationalist leaders on December 16, 1941. Following his release, Thamrin spoke before the crowd in Batavia that "the Indonesians are praying for the safety of Her Majesty Queen in London and her government for the Free Netherlands from Germany like they always do for the realization of Free Indonesia." The speech itself was reached into Queen Wilhelmina's ears in London. The Queen was touched by the speech and promised to her subjects on the Dutch East Indies to determine its own status through "significant and extensive political discussions" after the war ended. Several major Indonesian political figures who had been exiled such as Sukarno, Hatta, Sjahrir and was released on January 1942 by Queen's amnesty. On his arrival on Tanjung Priok port, Sukarno was welcomed by the thousand crowd en masse on Batavia.

Meanwhile, the Indonesian left-wing movement was able to organize itself and grow significantly following the January Amnesty. Sjahrir and other prominent Leftist intellectuals founded the Socialist Party (Indonesian: Partai Sosialis, Parsi) on May 1942, while the smaller Communist group had earlier re-established the Communist Party of Indonesia on April of following year. The Parsi was following the GAPI for the cause of Indonesian self-governing right. As the Soviet Union was made part of the Allies, the PKI also showed its moderate support for GAPI's self-government option.

By 1943, the Indonesian politics was largely divided between the GAPI, represent the nationalist groups, led by Mohammad Husni Thamrin; the MIAI (Indonesian: Madjelis Islam A'laa Indonesia, Indonesian Supreme Islamic Assembly), represent the Islamist groups, led by ; and the Parsi (in alliance with the PKI), represent the Leftist groups, led by Sutan Sjahrir. These three political organisations was then formed part of the Indonesian People's Assembly (Indonesian: Madjelis Rakjat Indonesia, MRI), a pro-independence umbrella camp.

Self-government
Following the liberation of the Netherlands on May 5, 1945, the MRI once again submitted the option for Indonesian self-government. The motion, however, was again rejected by the Dutch parliament although now received a support from, new Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies. On his inaugural speech before the Volksraad on August 23, Van Mook expressed his goodwill support toward the independence of Indonesia within the Netherlands-Indonesian Union in the future. Van Mook also lifted the ban for hoisting red-and-white flag, the symbol of Indonesian nationalist movement on September 4, 1945.

The first Grand Conference of Insular Rulers (Indonesian: Moesjawarah Agoeng Radja-radja Kepoelaoean; Dutch: Groot-Overleg van Insulaire Vorsten) was convened in Yogyakarta on October 27, 1945. Sultan of  was elected as its first president while Sultan  of  and Sultan  of, were elected as his deputies. On November 1, 1945, the Conference of Rulers adopted the Djogjakarta Motion that supporting the reorganization of Dutch colonial administration in Indonesia. The Djogjakarta Motion also proposed for the name change of "Indies" into "Indonesia".

On December 15, 1945, the representatives from the Volksraad and the Conference of Rulers was gathered at the Buitenzorg Palace by Governor-General Van Mook for the negotiation regarding the future of Indonesian state. The meeting resulted to an agreement called the "Buitenzorg Agreement" that agreed for a Netherlands-Indonesian Union; the establishment of Indonesian nationality; the replacement of Council of Indies with the Council of State (Dutch: Raad van State; Indonesian: Dewan Negara); the establishment of Parliament of Indonesia and the abolition of colonial social system. It was later ratified by the Charter of the Netherlands-Indonesian Union that was signed on the Hague by Queen Wilhelmina, delegation of Dutch Parliament (led by Prime Minister ), delegation of Volksraad (led by ) and delegation of Conference of Rulers (led by Sultan Sjarif Kasim II of Siak), on January 1, 1946.

Dissatisfied with the Charter, the Parsi and the Indonesian People's Movement (Indonesian: Gerakan Rakyat Indonesia, Gerindo) led by, quit the MRI on February 21, 1946 and at a congress in Surabaya on February 27-28, 1946, the Radical Concentration (Indonesian: Konsentrasi Radikal), a coalition between the Parsi, the Gerindo, and the Labour Party, was founded. It campaigned for the status of Indonesian language as the national language, a Parliament that fully elected democratically by universal suffrage, and very minimum role of Queen as the head of state.

On the first parliamentary election which held on August 8, 1946, the GAPI and the Konsentrasi Radikal emerged respectively as the largest and second largest political group, while the MIAI and the PKI surprisingly performed poorly on the poll. Only 124 out of 200 seats on the Parliament that being contested, while the remaining seats were appointed by the Governor-General, including the representatives from Papua where the election was not held. Thamrin, Radjiman Wedyodiningrat, Oto Iskandar di Nata, Wahid Hasjim, and Abikusno Tjokrosujono were the first members that being elected by the Parliament to the Council of State.