Sahabat ARSARI,

We will show you a video of Prof. Peter Carey analyzing the historic footage of the UN Security Council meeting in New York on August 14, 1947. Here are his analysis.

The meeting was attended by Sutan “Bung Kecil” Sjahrir, former Prime Minister and former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia in the revolution era, who flew to New York to address the matter in the 184th and 185th sessions. Sjahrir made his speech to convince the UN Security Council that Indonesia is a sovereign state and at the same time to refute the argument by the Netherlands that Indonesia was a country constructed by Japan. Sjahrir’s argument was based on Indonesia’s hundreds of years worth of history, with Majapahit and Sriwijaya kingdoms as its foundations, and his profound knowledge of the nation’s identity and vision for the future ultimately succeeded in convincing the 11 members of the UN Security Council at that time.

The speech resulted in the recognition of Indonesia by the UN Security Council, and in the end culminated in the formation of the Committee of Good Offices which consisted of Belgium (representing the Netherlands), Australia (representing Indonesia), and the United States (representing both). This event was an important turning point in Indonesian diplomacy during the revolution era.

More details about this can be found in the video.

Salam lestari!