Indonesia Celebrates Muted Independance Day During Pandemic

 

Happy Independance Day From all of us at PT Bali Affordable Lifestyles International, PT Bali Luxury Villas and Best Bali Real Estate

I'd like to wish my Indonesian family, relatives, staff, associates, friends a subdued Happy Independence Day.

 

This is my 23rd year experiencing Independence Day while living in Bali, Indonesia.

Without question it is the worst Independence Day that I've endured here.

 I'm sure for many it is their worse Independence Day for decades and perhaps since the original Declaration of Independence was declared on August 17, 1945.

I felt it was important to reflect on the fact that Indonesians are a hardy nation and have often overcome in the past what at the time appeared to be impossible odds and years of pain to achieve final independence in 1947.

At the time the Declaration of Independence was declared by Indonesia's first president Sukarno (Kusno Sosrodihardjo) in 1945 Indonesia had just been through a terrible war and occupation by the Japanese troops who raped and pillaged it citizens.

Sukarno was the leader of the Indonesian struggle for independence from the Dutch colonialists.

 He was a prominent leader of Indonesia's nationalist movement during the colonial period and spent over a decade under Dutch detention until released by the invading Japanese forces in World War II. 

 Upon Japanese surrender, Sukarno and Mohammad Hatta declared Indonesian independence on 17 August 1945, and Sukarno was appointed as its president.

He led Indonesians in resisting re-colonisation efforts via diplomatic and military means until the  recognition of Indonesian independence in 1949.

In the following 72 years Indonesia endured many decades of totalitarian control and finally just before the end of the century on 21 May 1998 it became a true democracy.

It has now the fourth largest population in the world.

These times are tough and but there is some light at the end of the tunnel.

For example yesterday the Indonesian Gov’t Eased Restrictions as Covid -19 new cases declined  76 percent .

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Recent newspaper articles have stated that the peak has been reached and unless there are new variants that rear their ugly head the worse should be in the past.

Bali, unfortunately has not reached its peak yet.

I'm praying., hoping and predicting that it will be reached soon and we to will begin to recover from the worst pandemic in over 100 years.

So as everyone in Bali enjoys a muted Independence Day holiday today I hope they take a moment to  reflect on how hard it was 1945 to 1947.

Be thankful that you are still alive, have family and friends who live under a democracy which I believe may go on to be one of the economic superpowers of the world in the coming decades.

Happy Indonesia Independence Day.