Indische Party
Encyclopedia
The Indische Party or Indies Party was a short lived (1912–1913) but influential political organisation founded in 1912 by the Indo-European (Eurasian) journalist E.F.E. Douwes Dekker
and the Javanese physicians Tjipto Mangoenkoesoemo
and Soewardi Soerjaningrat
. As one of the very first political organisations pioneering Indonesian nationalism in the colonial Dutch East Indies
it inspired several later organisations such as the ‘Nationaal Indische Party’ (N.I.P.) or ‘Sarekat Hindia’ in 1919 and, ‘Indo Europeesch Verbond
’ (I.E.V.) in 1919. Its direct successor was 'Insulinde (Political Party)
'.
Although short lived and accumulating a little over 7,000 members its influence as the first multi-racial political party that clearly stated the, at the time radical, notion of independence was far reaching. The IP’s aim was to unite all native peoples of the Indies in a struggle for an independent nation. When the IP was banned and its leadership exiled, members of the IP founded the equally radical Insulinde.
s had played in the independence struggle in the Philippines
, the IP envisioned a similar uniting role for the Indo Eurasians in the Indies. Over 5,000 of its 7,000 members were Indos.
Douwes Dekker however also warned the Indo community not to carry on the racist notions indoctrinated by the colonial system.
In 1912 the removal of the Batavia school for Civil Servants from the Dutch East Indies and the ban on establishing a Medical school for Indo-Europeans and Indo-Chinese had contributed to a strong undercurrent of dissatisfaction and the IP membership numbers were rising speedily. Within a month the Party’s magazine had a 1,000 paying subscribers. In fear of a Malay language edition and collaboration with the ‘Sarekat Islam
’ the colonial authorities stepped up its efforts to ban the IP.
Explicitly and vigorously opposing widespread racial discrimination by the colonial elite of expatriate Dutchmen and advocating total independence from the Netherlands, the colonial government hastened to brand the political organisation as subversive and banned it only 1 year after its foundation.
Exactly 1 year after the foundation of the IP all 3 founders were exiled to the Netherlands. They were able to remain politically active and eventually return to the Dutch East Indies. Tjipto became future president Sukarno
's second political mentor, after an imprisonment on Banda
he died in 1943. After Indonesia's declaration of independence in 1945 Douwes Dekker, now named Danoedirdja Setiaboeddhi, became minister of state in the cabinet of Indonesian prime minister Sjahrir. Soewardi became Indonesian minister of education in 1949.
periods.
Ernest Douwes Dekker
Ernest François Eugène Douwes Dekker was an Indonesian freedom fighter and politician of Indo descent. He was related to the famous Dutch writer, Multatuli, whose real name was Eduard Douwes Dekker. In his youth, he took part in the Second Boer War in South Africa on the Boer side...
and the Javanese physicians Tjipto Mangoenkoesoemo
Tjipto Mangoenkoesoemo
Dr. Tjipto Mangoenkoesoemo or Cipto Mangunkusumo was a prominent Indonesian independence leader and Sukarno's political mentor...
and Soewardi Soerjaningrat
Ki Hajar Dewantara
Ki Hajar Dewantara , born Raden Mas Soewardi Soerjaningrat into a noble Javanese family of Yogyakarta, was a pioneer in the field of education in Indonesia...
. As one of the very first political organisations pioneering Indonesian nationalism in the colonial Dutch East Indies
Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies was a Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II. It was formed from the nationalised colonies of the Dutch East India Company, which came under the administration of the Netherlands government in 1800....
it inspired several later organisations such as the ‘Nationaal Indische Party’ (N.I.P.) or ‘Sarekat Hindia’ in 1919 and, ‘Indo Europeesch Verbond
Indo Europeesch Verbond
The Indo Europeesch Verbond or Indo European Alliance was a social movement and political organisation founded in 1919 by the Indo-European community of the Dutch East Indies that fought for race equality and political say in late colonial Indonesia during the early 20th century.It was one of the...
’ (I.E.V.) in 1919. Its direct successor was 'Insulinde (Political Party)
Insulinde (Political Party)
Political party Insulinde , a direct successor of the Indische Party and later renamed the Nationale Indische Party , was a political organization that represented efforts by some Indo Eurasians to identify and cooperate with the Indigenous educated élite of the Dutch East Indies in an effort to...
'.
"Revolutionary action enables people to achieve their objectives quickly. Surely this is not immoral [...] The Indische Party can safely be called revolutionary. Such a word does not frighten us[...]" Douwes Dekker.
Although short lived and accumulating a little over 7,000 members its influence as the first multi-racial political party that clearly stated the, at the time radical, notion of independence was far reaching. The IP’s aim was to unite all native peoples of the Indies in a struggle for an independent nation. When the IP was banned and its leadership exiled, members of the IP founded the equally radical Insulinde.
Foundation 1912
Under the slogan of “Indie voor Indiers” membership was opened to Indo-Europeans, Dutch permanent settlers, Indo-Chinese natives and all indigenous peoples. Inspired by the leading role Eurasian IlustradoIlustrado
The Ilustrados constituted the Filipino educated class during the Spanish colonial period in the late 19th century....
s had played in the independence struggle in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, the IP envisioned a similar uniting role for the Indo Eurasians in the Indies. Over 5,000 of its 7,000 members were Indos.
“The coloured [Indo] rejected by his white father, is the ideal foreman in the final liberation of his indigenous relatives.” Douwes Dekker
Douwes Dekker however also warned the Indo community not to carry on the racist notions indoctrinated by the colonial system.
[...]colonial policy and its colonial morality are rotten. This is of course what the Indische Partij aims at in its struggle against racial superiority and racial discrimination [...] It will give the final push to make the tree of racial discrimination crash to earth [...] But when Indos of mixed blood complain about this racial superiority they must take care not to become guilty themselves of the same sin with respect to the indigenous natives. They must realize that artificially inculcated ideas of belonging to the ruling classes do by no means give them the right to look down on a class of (indigenous) Indiers with whom they are bound together with unbreakable chains [...] Douwes Dekker.
In 1912 the removal of the Batavia school for Civil Servants from the Dutch East Indies and the ban on establishing a Medical school for Indo-Europeans and Indo-Chinese had contributed to a strong undercurrent of dissatisfaction and the IP membership numbers were rising speedily. Within a month the Party’s magazine had a 1,000 paying subscribers. In fear of a Malay language edition and collaboration with the ‘Sarekat Islam
Sarekat Islam
Sarekat Islam, formerly Sarekat Dagang Islam, was a Javanese batik traders's cooperative in Indonesia.Sarekat Dagang Islam was founded by Haji Samanhudi, a businessman in Surakarta, in 1905 or 1912. His business was trading in batik, the traditional cloth made in Java...
’ the colonial authorities stepped up its efforts to ban the IP.
Ban 1913
When in July 1913 IP founder Tjipto was chairman of the ‘Bumi Putra’ committee and commissioned IP co-founder Soewardi’s famous ironic pamphlet ‘If I would have been a Dutchman.’ all 3 IP founders were put on trial.Explicitly and vigorously opposing widespread racial discrimination by the colonial elite of expatriate Dutchmen and advocating total independence from the Netherlands, the colonial government hastened to brand the political organisation as subversive and banned it only 1 year after its foundation.
Exactly 1 year after the foundation of the IP all 3 founders were exiled to the Netherlands. They were able to remain politically active and eventually return to the Dutch East Indies. Tjipto became future president Sukarno
Sukarno
Sukarno, born Kusno Sosrodihardjo was the first President of Indonesia.Sukarno was the leader of his country's struggle for independence from the Netherlands and was Indonesia's first President from 1945 to 1967...
's second political mentor, after an imprisonment on Banda
Banda
-People:*Banda people, an ethnic group of the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Cameroon and Sudan*Rupiah Banda, President of Zambia*Hastings Banda, former President of Malawi...
he died in 1943. After Indonesia's declaration of independence in 1945 Douwes Dekker, now named Danoedirdja Setiaboeddhi, became minister of state in the cabinet of Indonesian prime minister Sjahrir. Soewardi became Indonesian minister of education in 1949.
Trivia
From 1994 to 2006 a political party named the 'Vrije Indische Party' (VIP) existed in the Netherlands. With a constituency of mainly first generation Indo and Dutch repatriates from the former Dutch East Indies its aim was to look after their interests which included care for the elderly and restitution of damages suffered during the war and BersiapBersiap
Bersiap is the name given by the Dutch to a violent and chaotic phase of Indonesia's revolutionary period following the end of World War II. The Indonesian word bersiap means 'get ready' or 'be prepared'...
periods.