Constitution Day is annually observed on August 18 in Indonesia. 1945, at a conference of the Preparatory Committee for Indonesian Independence, the constitution was established in order to maintain unity following the 17 August 1945 declaration of independence by the Republic of Indonesia. This date coincides with the signature of the Indonesian Declaration of Independence. Typically, patriotic lectures, parades, activities, and demonstrations accompany the holiday. Indonesians participate in the festivities, and everyone is encouraged to commemorate the holiday together.
The background of Indonesia Constitution Day
The State Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia from 1945 is the supreme law and the foundation of all Indonesian law. In June, July, and August 1945, during the final months of the Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies at the close of World War II, the constitution was drafted.
During World War II, the Japanese invaded the Dutch East Indies in 1942, defeated the Dutch colonial regime, and occupied the region. During this period, the region fell under the control of the Japanese Southern Expeditionary Army Group. Based on the largest islands, the Japanese divided the territory into three military governance regions: Sumatra, Java, and East Indonesia, which included a portion of Borneo. The 16th Army established the Independence Preparatory Investigation Committee (B.P.U.P.K.) for the island of Java on March 1, 1945. Subsequently, the B.P.U.P.K. was founded in Sumatra. For the remainder of the East Indies, there was no such organisation.
The B.P.U.P.K. organisation established in Java had 62 members. Future president Sukarno and vice president Mohammad Hatta were among its members. 1945 saw two sessions, one in May-June and the other in July. In the first session, general issues were discussed, including Pancasila, the state philosophy for a future independent Indonesia, which was proclaimed by future President Sukarno in a June 1 speech. The Allies demanded Japan’s unconditional capitulation in the Potsdam Declaration on July 26, 1945. The Japanese surrendered unconditionally on August 15, 1945, after the second atomic weapon was dropped on Nagasaki and the Soviet Union invaded Manchuria. On August 17, 1945, Sukarno and Hatta declared independence, and the P.P.K.I. met the following day. The Committee officially enacted the Constitution on August 18, 1945.
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5 facts about Indonesia that will astound you
Indonesia, also known as the Lost World of Asia, is a habitat for increasingly uncommon, exotic, and fancifully beautiful animals that are slowly approaching a level of extinction that is extremely perilous.
The Rafflesia Arnoldii, also known as the “corpse lily” due to its foul odour when in bloom, is the world’s largest flower and grows in the Indonesian rainforests.
Indonesia is the hottest place on the Ring of Fire due to its nearly 130 active volcanoes and location between the two most seismically active zones on Earth.
The tallest point of the Jayawijaya Mountains in the province of Papua is Punchak Jaya, which stands at an altitude of 5,008 metres.
Once upon a time, the Bataks, who were cannibals/headhunters, resided on Pulau Samosir.
INDONESIA CONSTITUTION DAY DATES
Year | Date | Day |
---|---|---|
2023 | August 18 | Friday |
2024 | August 18 | Sunday |
2025 | August 18 | Monday |
2026 | August 18 | Tuesday |
2027 | August 18 | Wednesday |