Peran Mohammad Syarif dalam Surat Kabar Asing Masa Revolusi 1945 – 1947 di Kota Padang

Abstract

This study examines Mohammad Syarif’s role in the dynamics of the Physical Revolution in Padang City during 1945–1947, particularly the Olo Incident in November 1945. It aims to analyze his role in mobilizing youth resistance in Koto Marapak and its surroundings and to compare his representation in contemporary Dutch newspapers with that in Indonesian local historiography. The study employs the historical method, comprising heuristics, source criticism, interpretation, and historiography, drawing on Dutch-language newspapers, contemporary records, and local historical literature. The findings reveal differences in the portrayal of Mohammad Syarif. Dutch newspapers tended to frame youth resistance from a colonial security perspective, emphasizing radicalism, violence, and threats to Europeans. In contrast, Indonesian local historiography portrays him as a mass mobilizer and a driving force behind the youth struggle in Koto Marapak and Ujung Pandan to defend independence. These differences demonstrate that the historical meaning of an action is shaped by perspective, interests, and the context in which narratives are constructed. This study contributes to the historiography of the Indonesian Revolution by expanding historical inquiry to the local level and highlighting the importance of critically examining colonial sources and local historiography to produce a contextualized and balanced reconstruction of the Olo Incident.