絶対依嘱・勇気・前進のための戦い : あるジャワ人ロームシャの生涯 (<特集>インドネシア国民の形成 : 故土屋健治教授を偲んで)

Abstract

In Sabah, many of the romusha, or forced laborers, taken from Java by the Japanese Military Government during World War II are still alive. When the war ended, they were obliged to stay in Sabah. Among the natives there, they have earned a reputation for diligence and good conduct, which seems to derive from their efforts to adapt to the different cultures and societies of Sabah. Particular attention should be paid to the ways of thinking of their leaders, who have had a strong influence on their compatriots. Here, I will introduce the life history of one such leader. This man comes from a village on the north coast of Central Java. He is a pious Muslim and a rational man. Although he came as a romusha, he insists that he came of his own will. In thus emphasizing the voluntary aspect and de-emphasizing the passive aspect of the forced labor, he showed his spirit of independence. Now he is well-off, and he attributes his success to absolute submission to the will of Allah, and his own bravery and willingness to fight for advancement.