Draft:Ahmad Sukarno
| Ahmad Sukarno | |
|---|---|
| File:Ahmad Sukarno.jpg | |
| Name | Ahmad Sukarno |
| Personal Details | |
| Birth Place | Java |
| Religion | Islam |
Ahmad Sukarno was the first President of the Republic of Indonesia following the country's independence and gained significant fame for his struggles toward independence. He was arrested several times by the Dutch colonial authorities but ultimately attained the presidency through victory.
Biography
Ahmad Sukarno was born on the island of Java in 1901 CE. He pursued his higher education at the Bandung Institute of Technology, specializing in civil engineering. His political interests began during his early years at this institution, where he emerged as a prominent student leader advocating for his country's independence from Dutch occupation.
Activities
Sukarno was a member of the Indonesian National Party and eventually rose to lead the party. He was arrested multiple times by Dutch authorities and, in 1933 CE, following his arrest, was exiled first to the island of Flores and subsequently to the island of Sumatra, remaining there until 1942 CE when Japanese occupying forces freed him.
Presidency of Indonesia
Following the defeat of the Japanese in World War II, Indonesian revolutionaries declared their country's independence, and Ahmad Sukarno was elected as President, serving in this capacity from 1945 until 1968 CE.
Bandung Conference
One of Sukarno's most renowned actions during the early years of his presidency was convening the Bandung Conference from April 18 to 24, 1955 CE. Twenty-nine countries from the continents of Asia and Africa participated in this conference. Among the attendees were the former President of Egypt, Gamal Abdel Nasser, the Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, and the Prime Minister of China, Zhou Enlai. This conference led to the emergence of the Africa-Asia group within the UN and subsequently the Non-Aligned Movement.
Challenges and Problems
Although Sukarno was recognized as a symbol of freedom in the Third World, he was unable to effectively address the development challenges facing his country. Certain Western nations, opposed to his liberation movements, exploited this situation and incited some military commanders against him. In 1965, General Suharto thwarted an armed coup attempted by communists; however, international bodies declared that human rights violations had occurred. With the deterioration of President Sukarno's health, Suharto was appointed acting President in 1967 and subsequently elected President of Indonesia in 1968 CE.
Relationship between the Muslim Brotherhood and Indonesia
Following the establishment of the Muslim Brotherhood by Hassan al-Banna, one of its objectives was to assist people in Islamic countries to liberate themselves from Western colonialism. Consequently, the Brotherhood supported Islamic resistance movements everywhere. Among these movements was the mujahideen movement in Indonesia, led by Ahmad Sukarno, Mohammad Hatta, and leader Sutan Sjahrir, along with the group that later assumed leadership of the Indonesian independence movement. On August 17, 1945 CE, they proclaimed the Declaration of Independence, which was signed and announced by Sukarno and Mohammad Hatta.
Death
Sukarno continued his struggle against illness until 1970, eventually passing away at the age of 69.
See also
References
- Sukarno: The First President of Indonesia (in Arabic), Al Jazeera website, Article publication date: October 3, 2014 CE, Article access date: May 23, 2025 CE.