Arnoldus Isaac Zacharias Mononutu (4 December 1896 – 5 September 1983) was an Indonesian nationalist, politician, and
national hero of Indonesia
National Hero of Indonesia ( id, Pahlawan Nasional Indonesia) is the highest-level title awarded in Indonesia. It is posthumously given by the Government of Indonesia for actions which are deemed to be heroic, defined as "actual deeds which can b ...
from
North Sulawesi
North Sulawesi ( id, Sulawesi Utara) is a province of Indonesia. It is located on the Minahasa Peninsula of Sulawesi, south of the Philippines and southeast of Sabah, Malaysia. It borders the Philippine province of Davao Occidental and Soccsks ...
, who served as
Minister of Information
An information minister (also called minister of information) is a position in the governments of some countries responsible for dealing with information matters; it is often linked with censorship and propaganda. Sometimes the position is given to ...
from 1949 until 1950, and the again from 1951 until 1953. He later became the first
Indonesia Ambassador to China, as well as the third
Rector
Rector (Latin for the member of a vessel's crew who steers) may refer to:
Style or title
*Rector (ecclesiastical), a cleric who functions as an administrative leader in some Christian denominations
*Rector (academia), a senior official in an edu ...
of
Hasanuddin University
Hasanuddin University ( id, Universitas Hasanuddin) which is abbreviated as Unhas, is one of the largest autonomous universities in Indonesia. It is located in Makassar, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. Unhas was established on September 10, 1956, and n ...
. A member of the
Indonesian National Party
The Indonesian National Party ( id, Partai Nasional Indonesia, PNI) was the name used by several nationalist political parties in Indonesia from 1927 until the 2000s. The first PNI was established by future President Sukarno. After independence, th ...
, Mononutu was also involved in the struggle for Indonesia's independence. Having gained his sense of nationalism during his post-secondary studies in the
Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
. In 2020, he was posthumously given the honorary title of
National Hero of Indonesia
National Hero of Indonesia ( id, Pahlawan Nasional Indonesia) is the highest-level title awarded in Indonesia. It is posthumously given by the Government of Indonesia for actions which are deemed to be heroic, defined as "actual deeds which can b ...
.
Early life
![Arnold mononutu with his parents, potret seorang patriot, p](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/87/Arnold_mononutu_with_his_parents%2C_potret_seorang_patriot%2C_p._123.jpg)
Arnold Isaac Zacharias Mononutu was born in
Manado
Manado () is the capital City status in Indonesia, city of the Indonesian Provinces of Indonesia, province of North Sulawesi. It is the second largest city in Sulawesi after Makassar, with the 2020 Census giving a population of 451,916 distribu ...
on 4 December 1896 to Karel Charles Wilson Mononutu and Agustina van der Slot. Both his father and grandfather were prominent figures in their time. His father was a civil servant or ''ambtenaar (
nl)'' in the
Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies, also known as the Netherlands East Indies ( nl, Nederlands(ch)-Indië; ), was a Dutch colony consisting of what is now Indonesia. It was formed from the nationalised trading posts of the Dutch East India Company, which ...
colonial administration. His grandfather (also named Arnold Mononutu) was the first
Minahasan
The Minahasans (alternative spelling: Minahassa) are an ethnic group native to the North Sulawesi province of Indonesia, formerly known as North Celebes. The Minahasa people sometimes refer to themselves as Manado people. Although the Minahasan p ...
to complete studies at the school for the training of native physicians (
STOVIA
The ("school for the training of native physicians") or STOVIA was a medicine school in Batavia, now Indonesia's capital Jakarta. The school was officially opened in March 1902 in a building that is now the Museum of National Awakening in Welt ...
or ''School tot Opleiding van Inlandsche Artsen'') in
Batavia
Batavia may refer to:
Historical places
* Batavia (region), a land inhabited by the Batavian people during the Roman Empire, today part of the Netherlands
* Batavia, Dutch East Indies, present-day Jakarta, the former capital of the Dutch East In ...
(now
Jakarta
Jakarta (; , bew, Jakarte), officially the Special Capital Region of Jakarta ( id, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta) is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Lying on the northwest coast of Java, the world's most populous island, Jakarta ...
).
When Mononutu was two years old, his father was assigned a position in
Gorontalo
Gorontalo (Gorontalo language, Gorontaloan: ''Hulontalo'') is a Provinces of Indonesia, province of Indonesia on the island of Sulawesi. Located on the Minahasa Peninsula, Gorontalo was formerly part of the province of North Sulawesi until its ...
. Four younger siblings were born in Gorontalo, but all four died when they were between five and six months old. In 1903, Mononutu went to the Dutch language elementary school (ELS or ''Europeesche Lagere School (
nl)'') in Gorontalo. He continued his studies at the ELS in Manado after his father was reassigned to a position in Manado. In 1913, Mononutu went to the Dutch secondary school (HBS or ''Hogere burgerschool (
nl)'') in Batavia where he met and became friends with
AA Maramis (also from Minahasa) and
Achmad Subardjo
Achmad Soebardjo Djojoadisoerjo (23 March 1896 – 15 December 1978) was a diplomat, one of Indonesia's founding fathers, and an Indonesian national hero. He was the first Foreign Minister of Indonesia. In 1933, he received the degree '' Meester ...
.
Time in Europe
![Pengurus_perhimpunan_indonesia,_mononutu_potret_seorang_pahlawan,_p](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/84/Pengurus_perhimpunan_indonesia%2C_mononutu_potret_seorang_pahlawan%2C_p._124.jpg)
In 1920, Mononutu headed to Europe to start his studies in the Netherlands. After a couple of years of taking preparatory courses to enroll in a university, he decided to enroll in
The Hague Academy of International Law
The Hague Academy of International Law (french: Académie de droit international de La Haye) is a center for high-level education in both public and private international law housed in the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands. Courses are taugh ...
or ''Académie de droit international de La Haye'' in
The Hague
The Hague ( ; nl, Den Haag or ) is a city and municipality of the Netherlands, situated on the west coast facing the North Sea. The Hague is the country's administrative centre and its seat of government, and while the official capital of ...
. Mononutu initially did not have nationalistic ideals. However, after attending the association for Indonesian students in the Netherlands or ''Indische Vereeniging'' or ''
Perhimpunan Indonesia
The Perhimpoenan Indonesia (PI) (Eng: Indonesian Association; Dutch: Indonesische Vereniging) was an association for Indonesian students in the Netherlands in the first half of the twentieth century. It was established under the Dutch name ''Indis ...
'', Mononutu began to realize the nationalism of Indonesia. He became more involved in the organization and was elected as vice president, the same period in which
Mohammad Hatta
Mohammad Hatta (; 12 August 1902 – 14 March 1980) was an Indonesian statesman and nationalist who served as the country's first vice president. Known as "The Proclamator", he and a number of Indonesians, including the first president of Indone ...
was elected as treasurer.
When
Soekiman Wirjosandjojo
Soekiman Wirjosandjojo ( EYD: Sukiman Wiryosanjoyo; 19June 1898 – 23July 1974) was an Indonesian politician and physician who served as prime minister of Indonesia from 1951 until 1952. A member of the Masyumi Party, he also served as the pa ...
was president of the organization, Mononutu was asked to become a representative of Indische Vereeniging among the student organizations in
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
. During his time in Paris, the Dutch Political Intelligence Department or ''
Politieke Inlichtingen Dienst
The Political Intelligence Service ( nl, Politieke Inlichtingendienst, PID), was the main security agency for the Dutch East Indies from 1916 until its break-up in 1945.
The Political Intelligence Service was certainly the most famous part of th ...
'' became suspicious of Mononutu's activities. The colonial government in Indonesia spread false rumors to his father that he was being sympathetic to the communists. His father was threatened to be removed from his position if he continued to send money to Mononutu. When his father stopped sending money to Mononutu, he became dependent on his Indonesian friends. He returned to the Netherlands from France and was allowed to stay with
Ali Sastroamidjojo
Ali Sastroamidjojo ( EYD: Ali Sastroamijoyo; 21 May 1903 – 13 March 1975) was an Indonesian politician and diplomat who served as prime minister of Indonesia from 1953 until 1955 and again from 1956 until 1957. He also served as the Indo ...
and his family. Upon secretly receiving money from his father through his uncle who was travelling to the Netherlands, Mononutu was able to pay all his debts and return home to Indonesia in September 1927.
Return to Indonesia
Upon returning to Indonesia, Mononutu was immediately involved in the local nationalist efforts. He became a member of the newly formed
Indonesian National Party
The Indonesian National Party ( id, Partai Nasional Indonesia, PNI) was the name used by several nationalist political parties in Indonesia from 1927 until the 2000s. The first PNI was established by future President Sukarno. After independence, th ...
or ''Partai Nasional Indonesia (PNI)''. Mononut also met its founder,
Sukarno
Sukarno). (; born Koesno Sosrodihardjo, ; 6 June 1901 – 21 June 1970) was an Indonesian statesman, orator, revolutionary, and nationalist who was the first president of Indonesia, serving from 1945 to 1967.
Sukarno was the leader of ...
, for the first time. Mononutu rented a room in the same house as Suwirjo and
Sugondo Djojopuspito
Ki Soegondo Djojopoespito (22 February 190523 April 1978) was an Indonesian politician who became the Minister of Societal Development in the Halim Cabinet.
Early life
Soegondo Djojopoespito was born as Soegondo on 22 February 1905 in the villag ...
both of whom were leaders of the Indonesian Students Association or ''Persatuan Pelajar Pelajar Indonesia''. This organization was part of the Second Youth Congress in 1928 that produced the
Youth Pledge
The Youth Pledge ( id, Sumpah Pemuda) was a declaration made on 28 October 1928 by young Indonesian nationalists in the Second Youth Congress (). They proclaimed three ideas: one motherland, one nation and one language.Ricklefs (1982) p177
Back ...
or ''Sumpah Pemuda''. This pledge proclaimed the three ideals of one motherland, one nation, and one language. The future Indonesian national anthem
Indonesia Raya
"" (; "Great Indonesia") is the national anthem of Indonesia. It has been the national anthem since the Proclamation of Indonesian Independence on 17 August 1945. The song was introduced by its composer, Wage Rudolf Supratman, on 28 October 19 ...
by
Wage Rudolf Supratman
Wage Rudolf Soepratman (''Wage Soepratman'' in the old orthography or commonly known as W. R. Supratman) (9 March 1903 – 17 August 1938) was an Indonesian journalist and songwriter who wrote both the lyrics and melody of the national anth ...
was first heard in this venue.
Mononutu had started work for a Japanese oil exploration company ''Mitsui Buissan Kaisha'', but would decide to work for much less pay at the newly established People's College or ''Perguruan Rakyat''. He managed and taught courses in schools established by Perguruan Rakyat. Other instructors included
Mohammad Yamin
Mohammad Yamin (24 August 1903 – 17 October 1962) was an Indonesians, Indonesian poet, politician and National Hero of Indonesia, national hero who played a key role in the writing of the draft preamble to the Constitution of Indonesia, 1945 c ...
and Gunawan Mangunkusumo (the brother of
Tjipto Mangunkusumo
Cipto Mangunkusumo or Tjipto Mangoenkoesoemo (4 March 1886 in Pecangakan, Ambarawa, Semarang – 8 March 1943 in Batavia) was a prominent Indonesian independence leader and Sukarno's political mentor. Together with Ernest Douwes Dekker and Soeward ...
). The schools had a total of around 300 students enrolled. In 1930, Mononutu had to leave his position at Perguruan Rakyat and return to Manado, because he received word that his mother was sick.
Time in Manado and Ternate
Mononutu would stay in Manado for 12 years from 1930 to 1942. During this time, he became the director of a
copra
Copra (from ) is the dried, white flesh of the coconut from which coconut oil is extracted. Traditionally, the coconuts are sun-dried, especially for export, before the oil, also known as copra oil, is pressed out. The oil extracted from copr ...
cooperative. The cooperative had around 500 members who were scattered throughout the regions of Minahasa and Bolaang Mongondow. Mononutu was able to secure credit from the People's General Credit Bank or ''Algemene Volkscredietbank'' (now
Bank Rakyat Indonesia
PT Bank Rakyat Indonesia (Persero) Tbk ( 'Indonesian People's Bank', commonly known as BRI) is one of the largest banks in Indonesia. It specialises in small scale and microfinance style borrowing from and lending to its approximately 30 mill ...
) to cover the debts of the copra farmers. This allowed the farmers to sell their copra to the cooperative, which offered more stabile and standardized prices. The copra was in turn exported through the ''
Nationale Handelsbank
The Nederlandsch-Indische Handelsbank (NIHB, ) was a Dutch bank established in 1863 to finance trade between the Netherlands and the Dutch East Indies. During most of the colonial period, it was the second-largest of the “big three” commercia ...
'', a Dutch bank that was established to finance trade between the Netherlands and the Dutch East Indies.
At the beginning of the
Japanese occupation in 1942, Mononutu was sought by the Japanese because of his nationalistic stance and relationship with nationalist organizations. With the help of a sympathetic Japanese named Yamanishi, Mononutu fled to the island of Ternate (the northern part of the
Maluku Islands
The Maluku Islands (; Indonesian: ''Kepulauan Maluku'') or the Moluccas () are an archipelago in the east of Indonesia. Tectonically they are located on the Halmahera Plate within the Molucca Sea Collision Zone. Geographically they are located eas ...
) and remained there until the end of the occupation.
Involvement in the State of East Indonesia
![Misi muhibah nit ke ri](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c2/Misi_muhibah_nit_ke_ri.jpg)
After hearing of the 1945
Proclamation of Indonesian Independence
The Proclamation of Indonesian Independence ( id, Proklamasi Kemerdekaan Indonesia, or simply ''Proklamasi'') was read at 10:00 on Friday, 17 August 1945 in Jakarta. The declaration marked the start of the diplomatic and armed resistance of th ...
, Mononutu focused his efforts to help the people of North Maluku to determine the best response to the proclamation. He was one of the individuals who established a political organization called the Unity of Indonesia or ''Persatuan Indonesia''. A newspaper called the Tower of Independence or ''Menara Merdeka'' was published to promote the ideals of Persatuan Indonesia. The paper promoted a pro-republic message and criticized efforts by the Dutch to establish a separate state apart from the recently proclaimed Republic of Indonesia.
Efforts by the Dutch to find a federal solution for Indonesia included the establishment of the
State of East Indonesia or ''Negara Indonesia Timur (NIT)'' in 1946. Mononutu became a member of the
NIT parliament and headed the pro-republic group of parliament members. He focused his efforts to persuade other members of parliament to support the notion of unifying NIT with the Republic of Indonesia. After the Dutch military offensive against the Republic of Indonesia
Operation Product
Operation Product was a Dutch military offensive against areas of Java and Sumatra controlled by the Republic of Indonesia during the Indonesian National Revolution.Vickers (2005), p. 99 It took place between 21 July and 4 August 1947. Referr ...
in 1947, Mononutu established the Unified Struggle for Indonesian Independence or ''Gabungan Perjuangan Kemerdekaan Indonesia''. This organization sought to highlight the actions of the Dutch to keep Indonesia as its colony. In February 1948, he led a delegation of NIT officials to visit and meet with the leaders of the Republic of Indonesia in
Yogyakarta
Yogyakarta (; jv, ꦔꦪꦺꦴꦒꦾꦏꦂꦠ ; pey, Jogjakarta) is the capital city of Special Region of Yogyakarta in Indonesia, in the south-central part of the island of Java. As the only Indonesian royal city still ruled by a monarchy, ...
. In 1949, NIT became a constituent of the newly formed
United States of Indonesia
The United States of Indonesia ( nl, Verenigde Staten van Indonesië, id, Republik Indonesia Serikat, abbreviated as RIS), was a short-lived federal state to which the Netherlands formally transferred sovereignty of the Dutch East Indies (except ...
or ''Republik Indonesia Serikat (RIS)'', which was then dissolved on 17 August 1950 and replaced by a unitary Republic of Indonesia.
Information Minister
![Arnold mononutu with sukarno in purwodadi on 15 september 1952, potret seorang patriot, p](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6d/Arnold_mononutu_with_sukarno_in_purwodadi_on_15_september_1952%2C_potret_seorang_patriot%2C_p._137.jpg)
Mononutu was appointed Information Minister in the Indonesian government on three separate occasions:
* In the
Republic of the United States of Indonesia Cabinet
The Republic of the United States of Indonesia Cabinet ( id, Kabinet Republik Indonesia Serikat) was established as a result of the formation of the United States of Indonesia following the transfer of sovereignty from the Dutch colonial power. ...
from 20 December 1949 to 6 September 1950
* In the
Sukiman Cabinet
The Soekiman Cabinet was an Indonesian cabinet that served from 27 April 1951 until 25 February 1952, when it fell following revelations that it had signed a mutual security Agreement with the United States.
Formation
On 21 March 1951, the Nats ...
from 27 April 1951 to April 1952
* In the
Wilopo Cabinet
The Wilopo Cabinet was an Indonesian cabinet that served from 1 April 1952 until 3 June 1953.
Composition Cabinet Leadership
*Prime Minister: Wilopo (Indonesian National Party – PNI)
*Deputy Prime Minister: Prawoto Mangkusasmito (Masyumi Pa ...
from 3 April 1952 to 30 Juli 1953
During his time as information minister, several regions in Indonesia were rocked by rebellious uprisings including in
West Java
West Java ( id, Jawa Barat, su, ᮏᮝ ᮊᮥᮜᮧᮔ᮪, romanized ''Jawa Kulon'') is a province of Indonesia on the western part of the island of Java, with its provincial capital in Bandung. West Java is bordered by the province of Banten ...
(
Legion of Ratu Adil
The Legion of Ratu Adil, also known as Angkatan Perang Ratu Adil (APRA) or the Just King Legion was a pro-Dutch militia and private army established during the Indonesian National Revolution. It was founded by the former KNIL Captain Raymond Wester ...
),
South Sulawesi
South Sulawesi ( id, Sulawesi Selatan) is a province in the southern peninsula of Sulawesi. The Selayar Islands archipelago to the south of Sulawesi is also part of the province. The capital is Makassar. The province is bordered by Central Sula ...
(by
Andi Aziz
Andi Aziz (19 September 1924 – 30 January 1984) was a Royal Dutch East Indies Army captain. He was born in Simpangbinangal, Barru, South Sulawesi. He led the 5 April 1950 Makassar Uprising in Sulawesi against the Republic of the United ...
), and
Maluku (by
Chris Soumokil
Christiaan Robbert Steven Soumokil (13 October 1905 – 12 April 1966) was a South Moluccan politician and prosecutor who served as the second president of the Republic of South Maluku from 1950 until his execution in 1966 by Indonesian fo ...
). Mononutu along with Sukarno visited these regions and in large open-air meetings promoted the ideal of a unified nation.
Rector of Hasanuddin University
In 1960, Mononutu was asked by Sukarno to become rector of Hasanuddin University. In the five years as rector, the student population grew from 4000 students to 8000 students. When he started, the university only had three
faculties: economics, law, and medicine. The university would add six more faculties during his tenure: agriculture, animal sciences, engineering, literature, sciences, and social politics.
Honors
On 15 February 1961, Mononutu was awarded the Bintang Mahaputera Utama, the highest honor given to a civilian by the Indonesian government. On 10 November 2020, he was posthumously conferred the honorary title of National Hero of Indonesia by
President Joko Widodo in a ceremony at the
State Palace.
[ANTARA News (2020).]
References
Citations
Sources
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Mononutu, Arnold
1896 births
1983 deaths
Ambassadors of Indonesia to China
Government ministers of Indonesia
Indonesian nationalists
Minahasa people
National Heroes of Indonesia
People from Manado