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Friday 27 May 2022

10am-1pm: Opening Ceremony (invited guests)

1pm-5pm: Exhibition

2pm-3pm: Movie Screening and Storytelling

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Saturday 28 May 2022

10am-5pm: Exhibition open for public

12pm-5pm: Movie Screening and Storytelling

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Sunday 29 May 2022

10am-5pm: Exhibition

12pm-5pm: Movie Screening and Storytelling

2pm-5pm: Live Music Entertainment

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Bendigo Victoria 24 Sep 2022

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Diplomatic Reception Sofitel Hotel 30 Sep 2022

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La Mama Theatre Melbourne 

19-21 Nov 2022

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Univ Sam Ratulangi Manado Indonesia 13-15 Dec 2022

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News >>

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Cowra Festival NSW 10-11 Mar 2023

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Swan Hill Library Victoria 4-17 May 2024

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Click to see the Exhibition Profile

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When Merdeka Came to Australia.jpg

Black Armada

Page Title

In August 1945 in the Sydney suburb of Woolloomooloo, a group of Indonesians were listening to the short-wave radio set in the Indonesian Seamen’s Union offices, monitoring the news from Batavia Radio. The news was broadcast announcing the proclamation of Indonesian independence on 17 August.

From Boven Digoel to The Land of Hope.jpg
SS Moreton Bay was one of the vessels chartered by the Dutch government-in-exile. (Photo by Australian National Maritime Museum Collection)

SS Moreton Bay was one of the vessels chartered by the Dutch government-in-exile. (Photo by Australian National Maritime Museum Collection)

Immediately after Indonesia declared its Independence on August 17, 1945, the Australian Waterside and Seamen Unions, alongside the Chinese and Indian Seamen Unions, committed themselves to supporting this Independence declaration by imposing a black ban on all Netherlands East Indies (NEI) ships returning to Indonesia. They refused to deliver cargo (including armed soldiers, ammunition and weapons) owned by the Dutch who wanted to supply their troops to re-colonize Indonesia after the proclamation. The strike was known in historiography as the ‘Black Ban (s)’ phenomenon. The Australian Trade Union supported the Black Ban by the ships, which the majority of ports in Australia have applied Black Ban to the Netherlands. This ban affected some 500 ships including Dutch warships in Australian ports.  It was followed up by the support for the upholding of the Indonesian Independence by the Australian government in the United Nations in 1947and 1948.

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The announcement of the proclamation of Indonesia Independence was the climax of a long campaign for independence from Dutch colonial rules and also began a four- year-long political and military struggle for Indonesian independence to be accepted by the Dutch and acknowledged by the international community. During this period, Australian support for Indonesian was prominent. This crucial Australian support for upholding the Indonesian Independence is unfortunately not widely known in Australia or Indonesia. 

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President Sukarno paid tribute to the ‘freedom-loving’ stand taken by the Australian labour movement. “The Understanding and support given us by the Australian people will never be forgotten and we will convey this history of our struggle in your land to our countrymen at home. We hope that the friendship between our two peoples may become stronger and endure in the best interest of democracy” (Wrote in Brisbane based Central Committee of Indonesian Independence).

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Timeline - Historical Context

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  • 1935: Boven Digul momentum of Hatta and Syahrir being exiled and detained

  • 1942: In March Dutch Indies exile government offices established in Melbourne and Brisbane

  • 1943: 500 Digul prisoners arriving in Cowra, NSW. 13 people died due to sickness.

  • 1945: KNIL headquarter in Melbourne, 53 Indonesian rebel KNIL soldiers and navy officers relocated (part of 400 Indonesians possibly Ambonese) in army camp in Casino, NSW. 2 people shot dead.

  • 1945 Black Armada events:

    • 23 Sep 1945 first interview with Sukarno by Sydney Morning Herald

    • 24 Sep 1945 in Sydney, Brisbane and spreading Melbourne and Fremantle.

    • 28 Sep 1945 in Sydney demonstration outside Dutch Shipping company and diplomatic office supported waterside workers and trade and labour council.

    • 30 Sep 1945 big meeting in Savoy Theatre Melbourne to support Indonesia Independence

    • 1 Oct 1945 around 50 Indonesian servicemen in Dutch army and navy refused to obey and arrested in Melbourne, Geelong and Bendigo

    • 1 Oct 1945 strike of 60 seamen in Karsik Ship with Dutch money and Merak Ship in Port Melbourne

    • 1 Oct 1945 arrest of 3 Indonesian men in Hotel Metropole 377 Bourke St

    • Strike continued for 2 years until 1947 supported by Australian Maritime Union

  • Post Black Armada 1945-1949:

    • 1946: Linggarjati Agreement

    • 21 Jul – 5 Aug 1947: Dutch Military Aggression I

    • 30 Jul 1947: Australian took diplomatic step and revert the conflict at the UN SC as bridge of peace Article 39

    • 7 Sep 1947: PM Syariffudin cabled Ben Chifley asking to represent Indonesia in the UN negotiations for Indonesia Independence (KTN/Good Offices Committee) Dutch (Belgium), Indonesia (Australia), UN (US)

    • 8 Sep 1947: Ben Chifley cabled Syariffudin agreed

    • Jan 1948: Renville Agreement

    • Dec 1948: Dutch Military Aggression II

    • 28 Jan 1949: New Dehli Forum supporting Security Council for Indonesia

    • 7 May 1949: Roem-Royen Agreement

    • 23 Aug – 2 Nov 1949: KMB in Den Haag

    • 27 Dec 1949: The Netherlands transfer sovereignty to The United States of Indonesia (RIS)

    • 1950: Republic of Indonesia established

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Australian Very Important Persons Supporting Indonesia Independence

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  • Ben Chifley (Prime Minister Australia)

  • Thomas Critchley (United Nations Commission for Indonesia 1947-1950)

  • Richard Kirby (Chairman of Good Offices Committee - Komisi Tiga Negara)

  • John Douglas Lloyd Hood (President of the United Nations Security Council 1947)

  • Noel Constantine (Royal Air Force pilot transporting medical supplies to Indonesian republican fighters)

  • Charles Eaton (Australia’s Consul-General in Batavia 1946 and Chairman United Nations Consular Commission for Renville Agreement)

  • Prof Joe Isaac (academic, diplomat and author main supporter of Indonesia)

  • Lord Mountbatten (British - Supreme Allied Commander South East Asia Command)

  • Douglas MacArthur (American -  Supreme Commander, Southwest Pacific Area) 

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Historical Persons Involved in Black Armada

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Non-Indonesian

  • Fred Wong (Sydney Entrepreneur – Chinese seamen organiser) – Sydney

  • Arthur Locke (Chinese seamen organiser)

  • Dar Singh (Indian seamen organiser) – Prof Heather Goodall

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Koninklijke Paketvaart-Maatschappij (KPM) Seamen

(open movement in Black Armada strike 24 Sep 1945)

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  • Jimmy Imawan (President KIM - Komite Indonesia Merdeka)

  • Leo Lasut (Secretary KIM)

  • Jan Walandouw (Sarpelindo - KIM - Orator) – Sydney

  • Pet Tangkilisan (KIM - Propaganda) - Sydney

  • Andries Sorongan (KIM) – Sydney

  • Anton Maramis (KIM) - Sydney

  • Simon Pinontoan (KIM) - Sydney 

  • Sondakh Lengkong (KIM) - Sydney 

  • Charlotte Reid (Lottie) Maramis (Australian Journalist) - Sydney

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Koninklijk Nederlands Indisch Leger (KNIL)

  • Gustaaf (Gus) Kamagi (KNIL Special Force Trainer)

  • Julius Tahija (KNIL Z Special Unit)

  • Dolf Tjoeka (KNIL Z Special Unit)

  • Woworoentoe, Dengah, Lengkong, Lantang, Gozali, Kemirin, Tala, Toeala, Karto, Praitano, Dengah, Moestari, Sahja, Jadi (Kidnaped from Camp Casino)

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Digulists

(political movement to support Indonesian independence)

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  • Tukliwon (Sarpelindo - CENKIM - Central Komite Indonesia Merdeka) – Sydney 

  • Jamaluddin Tamin (President CENKIM)

  • Mohamad Bondan (Secretary CENKIM) - Brisbane

  • Molly Warner Bondan (Australian Journalist) – Sydney

  • Boerhanoedin, Sardjono, Alibasah Winanta, Hadji Moechlis, Sayid Abdurrahman Almassawa, Pieter Kalalo (NIGIS Melbourne) 

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In 1946 All KPM Seamen and Digulists who stayed in Australia moved together.

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Indonesian Politicians

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  • Mohammad Hatta

  • Dr Raden Usman Sastroamidjojo (1st Indonesian Ambassador to Australia)

  • Sutan Syahrir (Prime Minister Indonesia)​

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