Tjokroaminoto
Encyclopedia
Hadji Oemar Said Tjokroaminoto (August 16, 1882 – December 17, 1934) was a nationalist
, the first leader of Sarekat Dagang Islam (Islamic Trade Union, later Sarekat Islam
) in Indonesia
.
as the son of RM. Tjokroaminoto (district chief of Kleco), grandson of RMA. Tjokronegoro (regent of Ponorogo
), and grand-grandson of Kyai Bagus Kasan Besari of Tegalsari pesantren. According to his genealogy, his education was directed towards civil service eventually not his hope.
After graduating from OSVIA (OpleidingSchool Voor Inlandsche Ambtenaren, the then-highest civil servant education) in Magelang
(1902), Oemar Said began to work as civil servant in Ngawi, but eventually he left it (1902-1905). In looking for other job he came in Surabaya
. In the night he attended BAS (Burgerlijke Avond School) for some years. After graduating, he worked in a sugar refinery
(1907-1912). In that time Tjokroaminoto began to write and became assistant in Bintang Soerabaja daily.
, H. Samanhoedi
had founded Sarekat Dagang Islam (SDI, in the late 1911). Tjokroaminoto was asked to prepare needed regulations for organization and next management handling. After that the statuten (statute
) was prepared and strengthened by notarial act in Surabaya (September 10, 1912).
; Islamic Union). Its chairman was H. Samanhoedi, while Tjokroaminoto became commissioner
. Few days later its statute was sent to Governor-General to be legalized as a corporate body (rechtspersoon).
A central committee was formed with H. Samanhoedi as chairman and Tjokroaminoto as vice-chairman. In explaining organization's aim, Tjokroaminoto stated that SI would not oppose Dutch East Indies Government. For organization's interest he and other manager went to the then-Governor-General, Alexander Willem Frederik Idenburg
(March 29, 1913). Idenburg stated that for public importance (algemeen belang) SI legalization couldn't be granted, but local SIs can be granted corporate-body status.
The 1st CSI national congress (the 3rd SI congress) in his presidency was held in Bandung
(June 1916). The usage of word national remembered to the things Tjokroaminoto had sounded, is the necessity of the unity of all Indonesian. As social strength, Sarekat Islam obtained acknowledgement with entrance of Tjokroaminoto and Abdoel Moeis as the newly-opened Volksraad
s member (1918). As successor of his organization's voice, in that representative body Tjokroaminoto tirelessly had government correct all people expect.
The whole SI under Tjokroaminoto continuously went forward, but inner opposition arose, when colonial government's trust decreased. The hardest challenge came from Marxist
/Leninist
fraction led by Semaoen who faced Tjokroaminoto. Eventually Marxist-Leninist fraction formed Red SI that later became Communist Party of Indonesia
.
, West Java
; he was released ca. 9 months later without trial (August 1922).
Pan-Islamism
CSI became weak, and its name was changed to PSI (Partai Sarekat Islam; Islamic Union Party) on February 1923. Tjokroaminoto made an effort to unite outer Javanese group. After a propaganda
, insurgency broke out wherever, until he and Abdoel Moeis was forbidden to visit some areas. In that time, Pan-Islamism was launched. Tjokroaminoto and KH. Mas Mansoer of Muhammadiyah
was delegated to attend Islamic conference in Mecca
(1926). In that time Tjokroaminoto made a hajj
, the 5th Islamic pillar.
Political suggestion of hijra, non-cooperative attitude to colonial government eventually accepted by Congress, caused Tjokroaminoto's refusal when he would be elected as Volksraad's member (1927). Relationship with Dr. Soetomo of Indonesische Studieclub (PBI) became tense. Ulema Committee was founded to discuss Tjokroaminoto's Qur'an
ic interpretation that don't obtain agreement (1928).
, Partai Syarikat Islam Indonesia) in early 1929. There was a confrontation between nationalist Soekiman and religious Tjokroaminoto that led to Soekiman's departure to form a new party, the Indonesian Islamic Party (Partai Islam Indonesia).
(May 1934), Hadji Oemar Said Tjokroaminoto was sick and died in Yogyakarta (17 December 1934). PSII's leadership was succeeded by his brother Abikoesno Tjokrosoejoso.
Nationalism
Nationalism is a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a group of individuals with a political entity defined in national terms, i.e. a nation. In the 'modernist' image of the nation, it is nationalism that creates national identity. There are various definitions for what...
, the first leader of Sarekat Dagang Islam (Islamic Trade Union, later 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...
) in Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
.
Early life
Born in MadiunMadiun
Madiun is a city in the western part of the province of East Java Indonesia, an agricultural centre. It is the capital of the regency of the same name....
as the son of RM. Tjokroaminoto (district chief of Kleco), grandson of RMA. Tjokronegoro (regent of Ponorogo
Ponorogo
Ponorogo is a regency of East Java, Indonesia. It is known as the location of the origin of Indonesian traditional show, the Reog Ponorogo.Ponorogo is located in East Java...
), and grand-grandson of Kyai Bagus Kasan Besari of Tegalsari pesantren. According to his genealogy, his education was directed towards civil service eventually not his hope.
After graduating from OSVIA (OpleidingSchool Voor Inlandsche Ambtenaren, the then-highest civil servant education) in Magelang
Magelang
Magelang is one of the largest cities of the 1,130 km² Magelang Regency, Central Java, Indonesia. It is also the largest town in the Kedu Plain between Mount Merbabu and Mount Sumbing in Central Java, Indonesia...
(1902), Oemar Said began to work as civil servant in Ngawi, but eventually he left it (1902-1905). In looking for other job he came in Surabaya
Surabaya
Surabaya is Indonesia's second-largest city with a population of over 2.7 million , and the capital of the province of East Java...
. In the night he attended BAS (Burgerlijke Avond School) for some years. After graduating, he worked in a sugar refinery
Sugar refinery
A sugar refinery is a factory which refines raw sugar.Many cane sugar mills produce raw sugar, i.e. sugar with more colour and therefore more impurities than the white sugar which is normally consumed in households and used as an ingredient in soft drinks, cookies and so forth...
(1907-1912). In that time Tjokroaminoto began to write and became assistant in Bintang Soerabaja daily.
SDI
In that time, in SurakartaSurakarta
Surakarta, also called Solo or Sala, is a city in Central Java, Indonesia of more than 520,061 people with a population density of 11,811.5 people/km2. The 44 km2 city adjoins Karanganyar Regency and Boyolali Regency to the north, Karanganyar Regency and Sukoharjo Regency to the east and...
, H. Samanhoedi
Samanhoedi
Hadji Samanhoedi was founder of Sarekat Dagang Islam, a mass organization in Indonesia that was previously an association for batik traders in Surakarta....
had founded Sarekat Dagang Islam (SDI, in the late 1911). Tjokroaminoto was asked to prepare needed regulations for organization and next management handling. After that the statuten (statute
Statute
A statute is a formal written enactment of a legislative authority that governs a state, city, or county. Typically, statutes command or prohibit something, or declare policy. The word is often used to distinguish law made by legislative bodies from case law, decided by courts, and regulations...
) was prepared and strengthened by notarial act in Surabaya (September 10, 1912).
SI
The word Dagang (trade) in the organization's name was removed and SDI became SI (Sarekat IslamSarekat 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...
; Islamic Union). Its chairman was H. Samanhoedi, while Tjokroaminoto became commissioner
Commissioner
Commissioner is in principle the title given to a member of a commission or to an individual who has been given a commission ....
. Few days later its statute was sent to Governor-General to be legalized as a corporate body (rechtspersoon).
A central committee was formed with H. Samanhoedi as chairman and Tjokroaminoto as vice-chairman. In explaining organization's aim, Tjokroaminoto stated that SI would not oppose Dutch East Indies Government. For organization's interest he and other manager went to the then-Governor-General, Alexander Willem Frederik Idenburg
Alexander Willem Frederik Idenburg
Alexander Willem Frederik Idenburg was a Dutch politician of the Anti Revolutionary Party who served as Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies....
(March 29, 1913). Idenburg stated that for public importance (algemeen belang) SI legalization couldn't be granted, but local SIs can be granted corporate-body status.
CSI
Because of rapid development of local SIs, it was necessary to establish a central SI coordinating them. On 1915, the Centraal Sarekat Islam (CSI) was founded with Tjokroaminoto as its chairman, Abdoel Moeis as its vice-chairman, and Samanhoedi as honorary chairman. Since then Tjokroaminoto was continuously chairman or member of SI Board of Administration until his death.The 1st CSI national congress (the 3rd SI congress) in his presidency was held in Bandung
Bandung
Bandung is the capital of West Java province in Indonesia, and the country's third largest city, and 2nd largest metropolitan area in Indonesia, with a population of 7.4 million in 2007. Located 768 metres above sea level, approximately 140 km southeast of Jakarta, Bandung has cooler...
(June 1916). The usage of word national remembered to the things Tjokroaminoto had sounded, is the necessity of the unity of all Indonesian. As social strength, Sarekat Islam obtained acknowledgement with entrance of Tjokroaminoto and Abdoel Moeis as the newly-opened Volksraad
Volksraad
The Volksraad was the parliament of the former South African Republic , which existed from 1857 to 1902 in part of what is now the South Africa. The body ceased to exist after the British victory in the Second Anglo-Boer War. The Volksraad sat in session in Ou Raadsaal in Church Square, Pretoria...
s member (1918). As successor of his organization's voice, in that representative body Tjokroaminoto tirelessly had government correct all people expect.
The whole SI under Tjokroaminoto continuously went forward, but inner opposition arose, when colonial government's trust decreased. The hardest challenge came from Marxist
Marxism
Marxism is an economic and sociopolitical worldview and method of socioeconomic inquiry that centers upon a materialist interpretation of history, a dialectical view of social change, and an analysis and critique of the development of capitalism. Marxism was pioneered in the early to mid 19th...
/Leninist
Leninism
In Marxist philosophy, Leninism is the body of political theory for the democratic organisation of a revolutionary vanguard party, and the achievement of a direct-democracy dictatorship of the proletariat, as political prelude to the establishment of socialism...
fraction led by Semaoen who faced Tjokroaminoto. Eventually Marxist-Leninist fraction formed Red SI that later became Communist Party of Indonesia
Communist Party of Indonesia
The Communist Party of Indonesia was the largest non-ruling communist party in the world prior to being crushed in 1965 and banned the following year.-Forerunners:...
.
Arrest
In 1921 Tjokroaminoto was arrested for the charge of (assassination by) SI-afd. B in Cimareme, GarutGarut
Garut is a town in the West Java province of Indonesia and is the capital of the Garut Regency. It is located about 75 km to the southeast of the major city of Bandung.-History:...
, West Java
West Java
West Java , with a population of over 43 million, is the most populous and most densely populated province of Indonesia. Located on the island of Java, it is slightly smaller in area than densely populated Taiwan, but with nearly double the population...
; he was released ca. 9 months later without trial (August 1922).
Pan-IslamismPan-IslamismPan-Islamism is a political movement advocating the unity of Muslims under one Islamic state — often a Caliphate. As a form of religious nationalism, Pan-Islamism differentiates itself from other pan-nationalistic ideologies, for example Pan-Arabism, by excluding culture and ethnicity as primary...
CSI became weak, and its name was changed to PSI (Partai Sarekat Islam; Islamic Union Party) on February 1923. Tjokroaminoto made an effort to unite outer Javanese group. After a propagandaPropaganda
Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position so as to benefit oneself or one's group....
, insurgency broke out wherever, until he and Abdoel Moeis was forbidden to visit some areas. In that time, Pan-Islamism was launched. Tjokroaminoto and KH. Mas Mansoer of Muhammadiyah
Muhammadiyah
Muhammadiyah is an Islamic organization in Indonesia. Muhammadiyah, literally means "followers of Muhammad"...
was delegated to attend Islamic conference in Mecca
Mecca
Mecca is a city in the Hijaz and the capital of Makkah province in Saudi Arabia. The city is located inland from Jeddah in a narrow valley at a height of above sea level...
(1926). In that time Tjokroaminoto made a hajj
Hajj
The Hajj is the pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It is one of the largest pilgrimages in the world, and is the fifth pillar of Islam, a religious duty that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to do so...
, the 5th Islamic pillar.
Political suggestion of hijra, non-cooperative attitude to colonial government eventually accepted by Congress, caused Tjokroaminoto's refusal when he would be elected as Volksraad's member (1927). Relationship with Dr. Soetomo of Indonesische Studieclub (PBI) became tense. Ulema Committee was founded to discuss Tjokroaminoto's Qur'an
Qur'an
The Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
ic interpretation that don't obtain agreement (1928).
PSII
Later PSI was changed to PSII (Indonesian Islamic Union PartyIndonesian Islamic Union Party
Islamic Association Party of Indonesia was an Islamic political party in Indonesia. In 1973 it was merged into the United Development Party.-Origins:The Sarekat Islam was a pre-war political organization in the then-Dutch East Indies...
, Partai Syarikat Islam Indonesia) in early 1929. There was a confrontation between nationalist Soekiman and religious Tjokroaminoto that led to Soekiman's departure to form a new party, the Indonesian Islamic Party (Partai Islam Indonesia).
Later life
After the 20th PSII Congress in BanjarmasinBanjarmasin
Banjarmasin is the capital of South Kalimantan, Indonesia. It is located on a delta island near the junction of the Barito and Martapura rivers. As a result, Banjarmasin is sometimes called the "River City"...
(May 1934), Hadji Oemar Said Tjokroaminoto was sick and died in Yogyakarta (17 December 1934). PSII's leadership was succeeded by his brother Abikoesno Tjokrosoejoso.