Charles O. van der Plas

This chapter discusses how the years after Amir Sjarifoeddin was released from prison were the last years of the Dutch Indies. On April 2, 1939, in the spirit of participation in the colonial democracy, Gerindo nominated Amir as its candidate in the Batavia municipal elections for Volksraad to take place on April 26. Three weeks after his unsuccessful candidacy for Volksraad, Gaboengan Politik Indonesia (GAPI), “Indonesian Political Federation,” was put together, a capacious and loose association in which Amir and Gerindo, against all odds, attempted to push for the program of supporting democracy—including colonial democracy—against fascism. Meanwhile, in July 1941, half a year before the Indies fell, Charles O. van der Plas, after being the governor of East Java for five years, was moved to Batavia “and announced he was commencing a big anti-fascist 'educational' campaign among the Indonesian population.” The chapter then looks at the Japanese invasion and occupation of the Indies. In December 1941, Amir received 25,000 guilders from the Indies government to put together an underground resistance during the time the Indies would be occupied by Japan.