Agus
Wibowo
November 10 is celebrated as Heroes Day,
Surabaya City Day, and Majapahit Kingdom Anniversary in 1293. 10 November
commemorated as Heroes Day refers to the war to defend Indonesia's independence
that occurred in Surabaya three months after the Proclamation. This war
involves a British-led Allied Troop with tens of thousands of young men from
East and Central Java who gathered in Surabaya.
The war came after the Allies threatened to bombard and
destroy Surabaya, if all armed laskar in Surabaya do not surrender weapons
seized from Japanese troops. Threats spread through airplanes were ignored;
even Bung Tomo burned the youthful spirit of Surabaya to continue fighting. Because
the threats were not obeyed, the Allies attacked with all force: bombed from a
docked ship, deployed a tank army, and a well-armed infantry. Thousands of
young men died in this incident. Laskar and youth in Surabaya are not able to
strike back because of limited weapons, whether booty weapons from the Japanese
arsenal, machetes, swords and sharpened bamboo.
Most of
the youths involved in the Surabaya war were santri from pesantrens in East and
Central Java who were driven by kiai, who adheres to kiai kaji Hasyim Asyari,
founder of NU. This all-out war on November 10 raises the question “Why it can
happen on November 10th, the same as the anniversary of Majapahit Kingdom
declared by Raden Wijaya on 10/11, 1293?”
Although
the declaration of the Majapahit Kingdom was conducted in Tarik near Mojokerto,
Surabaya is also a battleground between troops Raden Wijaya and Aria Wiraraja
with Monggol troops sent Yuan Service in China. Expulsion of Monggol troops
then continued with the proclamation of Majapahit Kingdom was used as a
reference anniversary of Surabaya.
The next question is "Did the Kiai NU know the date of
November 10 is the anniversary of Majapahit and therefore they will make a big
event?” From the film "Sang Kiai" dated November 10, 1945 was not
chosen by intentionally linking with 10 November 1293. In the film there is a
dialogue where Kiai Hasyim asks larkar to be patient, do not rush to attack,
and wait for the army from Central Java. It could be the 10th of November set
by the Allied Forces. This makes more sense because British troops know more
about the history of Java. They had commissioned Stamfor Raffles as
Governor-General of Java and Sumatra in 1805.
During
his stint in Java Raffles sought and identified inscriptions in Java including
in East Java. Some inscriptions were brought to India to be read by an expert
on the letters Palawa and Sanskrit, then he published The History of Java. Then
Raffles brought some experts including J. Brandes who translated the Book of
Pararaton and H. Kern who translated the Book of Negarakertagama, where there
is information about 10 November 1293. Information from Raffles who is a former
governor general is A1 and very important. The next question, "Why is
November 10th 1293 triumphant and gloriously made a moment of destruction and
mass death in Surabaya?”
It could be an allied
British-led force wanting to downplay and suppress the pride of November 10,
1293. But the adherence of youth, kiai and santri are not broken by the threat
of death. However blood that spilled in Surabaya on November 10, 1945
increasingly nourishes the spirit of Indonesia to remain independent. Spirit of
Heroes Day and Happy Day of Surabaya City.
