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Traces are found in the Indonesian archipelago that
indicate the human presence since the Neolithic period,
although the precise knowledge of the History of
Indonesia goes back to the beginning of the Christian
Era, when the commercial relationship between the
different kingdoms of the archipelago with China began
and India, a relationship that opened the door to Hindu
and Buddhist influences. When, in 1511, the Portuguese
arrived on the Moluccan islands, they found a region
already influenced by Islam since the 13th century. But
it would be the Dutch East India Company that managed to
establish itself in the region, with its dominion in
Batavia (Jakarta). Dutch colonization, which was not
completed until the end of the 17th century, began to be
called into question in 1927, with the formation of the
Indonesian Nationalist Party, led by Sukarno. This
personality assumed, moreover, as the main protagonist
of the independence process, declared unilaterally on
August 17, 1945, after the surrender of Japan (which had
invaded Indonesia in 1942). The Netherlands also tried
to secure control of the colony, but the Indonesian
opposition, which included armed clashes, forced the
Dutch to recognize Indonesia's independence under the
name United States of Indonesia, a name that formalized
the union between the two states, what happened in 1949.
This union was broken in 1954 as a result of the
existing dispute between the two countries over
sovereignty in Western New Guinea (then called Irian
Barat, now known as Irian Jaya), territory that the
Dutch would eventually hand over to the Indonesians in
1969, although the process started in 1962. as the main
protagonist of the independence process, declared
unilaterally on August 17, 1945, after the surrender of
Japan (which had invaded Indonesia in 1942). The
Netherlands also tried to secure control of the colony,
but the Indonesian opposition, which included armed
clashes, forced the Dutch to recognize Indonesia's
independence under the name United States of Indonesia,
a name that formalized the union between the two states,
what happened in 1949. This union was broken in 1954 as
a result of the existing dispute between the two
countries over sovereignty in Western New Guinea (then
called Irian Barat, now known as Irian Jaya), territory
that the Dutch would eventually hand over to the
Indonesians in 1969, although the process started in
1962. as the main protagonist of the independence
process, declared unilaterally on August 17, 1945, after
the surrender of Japan (which had invaded Indonesia in
1942). The Netherlands also tried to secure control of
the colony, but the Indonesian opposition, which
included armed clashes, forced the Dutch to recognize
Indonesia's independence under the name United States of
Indonesia, a name that formalized the union between the
two states, what happened in 1949. This union was broken
in 1954 as a result of the existing dispute between the
two countries over sovereignty in Western New Guinea
(then called Irian Barat, now known as Irian Jaya),
territory that the Dutch would eventually hand over to
the Indonesians in 1969, although the process started in
1962. declared unilaterally on August 17, 1945, after
the surrender of Japan (which had invaded Indonesia in
1942). The Netherlands also tried to secure control of
the colony, but the Indonesian opposition, which
included armed clashes, forced the Dutch to recognize
Indonesia's independence under the name United States of
Indonesia, a name that formalized the union between the
two states, what happened in 1949. This union was broken
in 1954 as a result of the existing dispute between the
two countries over sovereignty in Western New Guinea
(then called Irian Barat, now known as Irian Jaya),
territory that the Dutch would eventually hand over to
the Indonesians in 1969, although the process started in
1962. declared unilaterally on August 17, 1945, after
the surrender of Japan (which had invaded Indonesia in
1942). The Netherlands also tried to secure control of
the colony, but the Indonesian opposition, which
included armed clashes, forced the Dutch to recognize
Indonesia's independence under the name United States of
Indonesia, a name that formalized the union between the
two states, what happened in 1949. This union was broken
in 1954 as a result of the existing dispute between the
two countries over sovereignty in Western New Guinea
(then called Irian Barat, now known as Irian Jaya),
territory that the Dutch would eventually hand over to
the Indonesians in 1969, although the process started in
1962. Sukarno and the party that supported him (PKI -
Indonesian Communist Party) remained in power until
September 30, 1965, when a military coup led by General
Raden Suharto took place. Until his appointment as
president by the People's Assembly in March 1967,
Suharto conducted a policy of military persecution of
supporters from Sukarno and the PKI, resulting in that
policy close to 1 000 000 victims.
Indonesia then lived under the New Order of Suharto,
based on strong support from the armed forces who, in
return, saw their cadres being appointed to important
political and administrative positions.
On December 7, 1975, Indonesia invaded East Timor. The
territory was under Portuguese administration, but, due
to the decolonization process and the state of civil war
that had been installed in the territory, the Portuguese
authorities abandoned the island. Although the
international community condemned the invasion,
Indonesia annexed East Timor, which became the 27th
province.
In 1994, after Suharto declared his unwillingness to run
for election again (held every five years) in 1998, a
period of political and social instability took place in
Indonesia. This declaration triggered a wave of
backstage movements by the different dominant groups
(military, technocrats and political supporters of
Suharto and Islamic religious leaders) in order to
strengthen their positions, while allowing unionists,
students, clandestine movements to democracy and the
press itself would become more bold in their demands. Suharto
stepped down in May 1998 and was replaced by Vice
President Habibie.
On October 19, 1999, the Parliament of Indonesia took
the decision to annul the decree that included the
annexation of East Timor as the country's 27th
province. On October 20, Indonesia's new president,
Muslim Abdurrahman Wahid, was elected. The worsening
political, economic and social problems led to Wahid
being removed from office in July 2001, although he did
not easily recognize his defeat. Megawati Sukarnoputri,
vice president during the term of Wahid, daughter of
Indonesia's first president, became the country's new
leader until October 2004, the year in which in the
presidential elections, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono won.
On December 26 of that same year, a natural
catastrophe shook the country. On that day, the largest
earthquake in recent times (8.9 degrees on the Richter
scale) was recorded with an epicenter off the Indonesian
island of Samatra. This earthquake originated tidal
waves that hit the coast of several Southeast Asian
countries, such as Sri Lanka (the most affected),
followed by Indonesia, India, Thailand, Malaysia,
Maldives and Bangladesh, causing thousands of deaths and
displaced people. |
