Yogya (KU) – Indonesian historian, Prof. Dr. Sartono Kartodirjo, is renown not only as a thinker, scientist and intellectual in social sciences and humanities both in Indonesia and in international scope, but also known as an intellectual with moral integrity, pioritising honesty in performing all activities.
Historian of UGM, Prof. Dr. Djoko Suryo, in a seminar "Sartono Kartodirjo: Social History and Political Violence in Indonesia" held at the Graduate School, Thursday (22/4), said that Prof. Sartono in his life lived in simplicity and far from luxury. Sartono preferred to live as a scientist.
According to Djoko Suryo, Sartono’s values of wisdom should really be taken as a model by the Indonesian young generation and intellectuals amidst the rampant cases of plagiarism and corruption in Indonesia. Affirming his statement, Djoko recounted his personal experience when he was doing research projects in the Center for Rural and Regional Studies UGM. Sartono as Head of the Center emphasised the importance of honesty importance to his subordinates. No wonder that the remaining research budget was always returned to the state. For Sartono, research funds belonged to the people of Indonesia so that they may not be misused. “He was very careful on finance. Hard to see this kind of man these days,†said Djoko.
Other characteristics of Sartono that withdrew admiration, Djoko said, was his nature who was not impressed by power and position, which he believed till his death. “He did not accept offers of power. He just wanted to be a scientist. The last thing in his life, Sartono would only accept the position of head of department. He refused to be nominated for dean, let alone rector,†the Professor of Faculty of Cultural Sciences UGM said.
Meanwhile, Professor of Faculty of Social and Political Sciences UGM, Prof. Dr. Mohtar Mas’oed, discussed Prof. Sartono’s views in the seminar. He said that Sartono was the first Indonesian researcher able to retell the history of rebellions in Indonesia, particularly the intensity of struggle of the grassroots people who were led by kyai (Muslim clerics), opposing priyayi (noblemen), and the colonial structure that supported them.
Prof. Sartono, the son of Tjitrosarojo and Sutiya, was born on 15 February 1921 in Surakarta. He died on 15 December 2007 in Yogyakarta aged 86. Sartono began his career as teacher at the Schakel School in Muntilan (1941). After earning M.A. degree at Yale University, USA (1964) and Ph.D. at Unverseiteit van Amsterdam, Hollands (1966), Sartono was inaugurated as Professor at Faculty of Letters UGM (1968). He produced tens of books, but the most popular is The Peasant Revolt of Banten in 1888. This was written based on his dissertation in Amsterdam which brought him the Ph.D. title with cum laude distinction. The book that recounts the fight of farmers of Banten in1888 was named a pioneer in the new writing of history, which is on the activity of grassroots level.