Portal:Indonesia/BOTW/36, 2006



Sukarno (June 6, 1901 – June 21, 1970) was the first President of Indonesia. He helped the country win its independence from the Netherlands and was President from 1945 to 1967, presiding with mixed success over the country's turbulent transition to independence. Sukarno was forced from power by one of his generals, Suharto, who formally became President in March 1967.

Sukarno's name is sometimes spelled Soekarno (pre-1947 spelling), and Indonesians also remember him as Bung Karno (Bung is an affectionate title used to address colleagues, popular in early 1900s). Like many Javanese people, he had just one name.

Sukarno became a leader of a pro-independence party, Partai Nasional Indonesia when it was founded in 1927. He opposed imperialism and capitalism because he thought both systems worsened the life of Indonesian people. (read more...)