8 Hours to Pierce the Domei and the Uneven News of Independence

The declaration of Indonesian independence on August 17, 1945, marked a pivotal moment, but the news did not instantaneously reach every corner of the sprawling nation. In the hours following Sukarno and Mohammad Hatta's proclamation at the home of Rear Admiral Tadashi Maeda, a concerted effort began to spread the word.

Hatta himself urged the young activists and press members present that night to expedite the printing and distribution of the proclamation text throughout Indonesia. Simultaneously, he tasked those working at the Domei news agency with transmitting the independence news globally via telegraph. This marked the beginning of a challenging mission for young Indonesians who became 'human couriers,' tasked with disseminating the historic announcement.

While Sukarno and Hatta prepared for the official reading, groups of students and activists, including Sukarni, gathered at locations like Def van den Bosch 56. Here, they strategized and rapidly printed thousands of leaflets with the help of local workers and staff from the Domei news agency, which would later become Antara. As the proclamation was read, various groups began their work, spreading the news across Jakarta and its surrounding areas, often under the watchful eyes of Japanese troops.

Disseminating the news beyond Jakarta proved even more difficult, relying on trains, cars, telephones, and telegraphs. It took about eight hours for the momentous event to be broadcast on the radio for the first time. Efforts by groups like Sukarni to access the Domei broadcast studio were initially unsuccessful, as were attempts by student fighters later that afternoon, underscoring the logistical hurdles in achieving swift and widespread communication across the newly declared nation.