SEMAOEN and SAREKAT ISLAM SEMARANG

To make Indonesia became an Independent country, many organisations involved on the procees to reach it. One of the most influential organisation that contribute to Indonesia in the past was Sarekat Islam. This organisation was born in Surakarta-Central Java (1911) that inisiated by Haji Samanhoedi- He was a batik merchant in Lawean village-Surakarta. He created this organisation with another batik merchants. His purpose establishing it was to confront Tionghoa merchants in their town which was his competitor. Furthermore, the member of Sarekat Islam (SI)  Rised significantly, it’s because Indonesians trust to SI that they will be free from dutch colonialism when they united through this organisation.

            In 1914 Sarekat Islam held their first congress in Jogjakarta, then HOS Tjokroaminoto elected as an organisation leader of Sarekat Islam through the process of election. He is one of the charismatic figure that can produce another leader who had contribution to Indonesia like Soekarno. Under Tjokroaminoto, SI become a great political organisation in that era. However, Sarekat Islam also had another figure who lead the youngster members of SI, His name was Semaoen. Actually, Semaoen was Tjokroaminoto’s student in Surabaya who also stayed in Gang Peneleh number.7 with bung Karno and another students. Semaoen joined on Sarekat Islam when he was 14 years old, then he became a leader of SI Semarang in 1921 when he just turned to 21. Semaoen had a bargain position in Sarekat Islam, albeit he still young compared to other branches of Sarekat Islam leaders. He could lead and provoke labour strike in several areas in java, then finally made the economic activities in java to be freeze. This activity was such a resistance form to Collonial government.

SEMAOEN

           Semaoen was the prominent young figure of marxist in that era. He learned that ideology from a dutch man Henk Snevlliet when he was 15 years old. Semaoen start his carrier as a propagandist in ISDV () when he also as a Sarekat Islam member. His skill to propagate people also had an effect for rising of SI members. In 1916, SI Semarang had approximately 1.700 members, hence it rose significantly to 20.000 on the next year. The consequence of this condition, CSI (Central Sarekat Islam) under the Tjokroaminoto, already accomodate the left wing of ideology on his organisation. It was because the left wing of SI had a big mass that actually would give a big impact for the movement of Sarekat Islam as well.

     SI Semarang at that time didn’t has office for meeting, therefore Semaoen and several organisations figure inisiated to build a public space in Semarang who could accomodate every single organisation in Semarang, through collecting money from every person who support mass movement in Semarang.  As time went by, this office was ready to build after  Tas’an bin Tasripin (One of the richest man in Semarang that was also Sarekat Islam member) gave his land in Kampung Gendong-Semarang for the organisations office which was about 1.130 m2. Finally, the office could build in Semarang that could be used for every organisation in that city in 1920, subsequently this building named Gedung Rakyat Indonesia (GRI) or the building of Indonesians. Some organisations who used this building such as Sarekat Islam, Budi Utomo, Nationaal Indische Partij, Vereeniging Spoor en Tramweg Personeel (VSTP), SI School, Partai Komunis Indonesia (PKI), Revolusioner Vaksentral, Sarekat Rakyat, Tionghoa organisation, etc.

Gedung SI Semarang setelah dipugar
doc. Denny.S

            Having office in Semarang stimulated the movement of Sarekat Islam would be massive. Sarekat Islam not only inisiated the labour strick in some areas in Java, however Sarekat Islam Semarang also created SI School for the children in Semarang. the students also had to collect the money from the people to support their process of study. Boedisoetjitro has been writen an article that explain about the activity of SI student when they collect some money in kampong Gendong and singing ‘Internasionale”. In that article he said that SI student had a lot of money to support SI School in Semarang.

Bagian dalam Gedung SI Semarang.

            Leading Sarekat Islam Semarang made Semaoen be like a hero, it was because he could overcome the people problems who always receive a pressure from the collonialism. He also could guide the people to unite for resisting injustice situation in their live. Semaoen is one of the example of teenager from the past who can contribute to the nations, albeit the situation was difficult under the dutch collonialism.   

           

Kamar, Salatiga, 26 Sept 2017

Abel Jatayu Prakosa.

*this is my first article after I never write again in english for about a year, therefore I am so sorry if this article makes a lot of mistakes. But, i want to fix it. Thanks...