Hello, Hello...!

This cartoon by Wim van Wieringen, published in The Flame in early 1949, satirizes political negotiations between Indonesian and Dutch leaders during the turbulent path to independence. Depicted figures include President Sukarno and Vice President Mohammad Hatta, representing the Indonesian Republic, and Dutch Prime Minister Louis Beel. The caption “Hello, hello...!” underscores the strained, sometimes superficial communication between both sides as they grappled with issues of sovereignty and decolonization.