THE GUERILLA STAR OF INDONESIA — BINTANG GERILYA

Abstract

The award system of Indonesia reflects its state developments, including the formation and transformations of the Indonesian Armed Forces (Tentara Nasional Indonesia). The Republic of Indonesia was formed as a result of its struggle for independence against the Netherlands Colonial Empire. Many islands of Indonesia, their equatorial and tropical climate, as well as technical backwardness of the Indonesian society in the 1940s were among the main factors of the guerilla warfare against the Dutch. Guerilla squads were the main part of the People’s Security Army (Tentara Keamanan Rakyat), later named the Republic of Indonesia Army (Tentara Republik Indonesia). Its victory over the Dutch in 1949 helped instituting of the first Order of Indonesia — Bintang Gerilja, or Bintang Gerilya in modern spelling — The Guerilla Star. The paper sums up the laws and acts of the Indonesian State concerning the Guerilla Star, as well as the data from open sources, like media and Wikipedia, about its awardees. These data are checked through the official reference books issued by the Service of History of the Indonesian Army (Dinas Sejarah Angkatan Darat). The paper focuses on the statute, description and bestowals of the Guerilla Star of Indonesia. The Order is an award to all Indonesians who fought for their Independence against the Dutch. The form of the Guerilla Star is like the Gallipoli Star of the Ottoman Empire. In 2009, the statute of the Guerilla Star was changed by the Indonesian Government. Now it may be bestowed for any guerilla defense of Indonesian interests.