81 Years of Independence: From Foreign Colonizers to 'Insider' Colonizers

Imam Sahroni Darmawan

Contributor

20 Apr 2026 · 19:03 20 April 2026 19:03 WIB 6 minutes reading time: 6 minutes 6 read

Reflections on 81 years of independence: pseudo-independence, domination by “insiders”, corruption, and democracy that has lost its meaning for the Indonesian people.

Ilustrasi gambar 81 tahun merdeka, namun rakyat masih terbelenggu ordal, korupsi, dan ketidakadilan di balik gemerlap demokrasi. (Source: Generative AI (Gemini), Imam Sahroni Darmawan.)

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Table of Contents

The High Cost of Honesty
Meritocracy That Died at the Hands of "Ordal"
Democracy Sold in the Black Market
Root of the Problem: The State as a Broker
Synthesis: Towards True Independence
A Silent Warning

Legal Literacy Every August, we are presented with the same scene: the red and white flag flying in every corner of the alley, lively sack races, and solemn ceremonies at the palace broadcast throughout the country. Eighty-one years have passed since this Republic was founded when the Soekarno-Hatta duo proclaimed sovereignty in Pegangsaan Timur. However, if we briefly remove the heavily made-up glasses of celebration, an ancient question knocks on the door of our consciousness again: are we truly independent, or have we merely changed overseers?

Independence, in its most basic definition, is not just the absence of foreign soldiers in the homeland. Independence is about the sovereignty of the individual over their own life, about feeling safe when speaking out, and about fair access to justice and welfare. If we use this benchmark, then Indonesia today seems to be experiencing what I call "Pseudo-Independence," a condition where independence is only formally political, but substantially fragile in social, economic, and legal life.

The High Cost of Honesty

Let's talk about the reality on the ground. One of the most tangible indicators of the failure of the substance of independence is how the state treats its citizens who are critical. The cases of violence against human rights activists are still fresh in our collective memory as a bitter reflection. Imagine a citizen who tries to defend public rights but ends up with permanent injuries, such as the case of the acid attack on human rights activist Andri Yunus.

Incidents like this are not just ordinary crimes; they are a message of terror sent to anyone who dares to disturb the comfort of the status quo. When the state fails to protect those who speak out for the public interest, or even becomes part of the machine that silences those voices, then the claim that we are free from fear becomes an unfunny joke. Here, independence belongs only to those who are obedient, not those who think.