proklamasi

Proklamasi is the Indonesian term for a formal public declaration, often referring to a declaration of independence or other significant political announcements. In Indonesia, the most prominent example is the Proklamasi Kemerdekaan Republik Indonesia, the event that proclaimed the country’s independence from Dutch colonial rule during a period of political upheaval at the end of World War II.

The proclamation occurred on 17 August 1945 in Jakarta, soon after Japan’s surrender. It was delivered at the residence of Sukarno (the future first president) and read aloud by Sukarno, with Mohammad Hatta acting as the vice president and co-signer. The declaration declared the establishment of an independent Indonesian state and signaled the start of a national government, with the text indicating that the Indonesian nation now stood free from colonial domination. The date is commemorated annually as Indonesia’s Independence Day (Hari Kemerdekaan).

Immediately after the proclamation, Indonesia faced military and diplomatic challenges as Dutch attempts to reassert control led to a resistance period, known as the Indonesian National Revolution. The new republic established its foundational legal framework with the 1945 constitution and the formation of provisional institutions. International recognition of Indonesia’s independence came gradually, culminating in a Dutch–Indonesian Round Table Conference and subsequent agreements in the late 1940s.

Today, the Proklamasi Day is a national holiday in Indonesia and a symbol of national identity and sovereignty. The term proklamasi is used more broadly to denote formal declarations issued by governments, rulers, or other authorities, but the 1945 Proklamasi Kemerdekaan remains the defining moment associated with the Indonesian nation’s birth.