Military career

The news of Proclamation of the Independence had just arrived in Muna at the end of August 1945.^[2] Responding to that news, Effendi initiated the establishment of a pro-Indonesia armed group in Muna by recruiting five members from each militia that existed in Muna, which were PETA, Heiho, PMI, and OPI. The armed group was formed on 27 August 1945 and named Organisasi Barisan 20 (Row 20 Organization). The group then held a meeting and appointed Effendi as the leader.^[1] As a leader of the organization, he used the pseudonym Siiti Goldaria to spread the pamphlets informing that TNI would soon land at Muna.^[3]

To gain support from the government, Effendi went to Surabaya by Bunga Melati boat on 5 September 1945. As he arrived at Port of Tanjung Perak, People's Security Army soldiers detained him and the rest of the passengers because the boat brought a Dutchman. Two weeks later, Effendi's colleague, Abdul Hamid Langkosono, accidentally spotted and released him immediately. He then received military training.^[4]

Effendi and Langkosono met high-rank Indonesian Navy officers at Lawang.^[3] The meeting resulted in the joining of Organisasi Barisan 20 to Division I Crew "X" Brigade D-81 Unit IX Group Surabaya. Moreover, he received orders from the Chief of Staff of the Navy, Hamzah Tuppu, to conduct infiltration and resistance against the KNIL soldiers in Muna.^[4]

In August 1946, Effendi left Surabaya for Raha. As he arrived in Raha, he then met the vice commandant of Organisasi Barisan 20, Taeda Ahmad, to convey Tuppu's message to launch resistance against the Dutch. From the meeting, they formed the Sadar Battalion on 12 May 1947 amidst the increasing number of its personnel.^[5] Afterwards, the battalion held a demonstration in Muna demanding the dissolution of State of East Indonesia.^[3]

Realizing that Batalyon had a shortage of weapons, Effendi and La Ditu went to Makassar to meet pro-Indonesia NIT MP Tadjuddin Noor for arms aid. Noer agreed and sent five Japanese carbines and ten hand grenades to the group.^[4] Afterward, he made a simultaneous attack plan on the Dutch soldiers in Muna, Kendari, Buton, and Kolaka on 25 October 1948 and sent couriers to Kendari and Kolaka to instruct Suppu Yusuf to launch the attack.^[6]

KNIL and the local police launched a night raid in Raha on 20 October 1948 and arrested 50 Batalyon Sadar members, including Effendi.^[7]He was then put in the Raha jail for three months and later transferred to Amoito Prison in Kendari. Following the transfer of sovereignty of Indonesia from the Dutch to the United States of Indonesia, he was released from prison on 27 December 1949.^[5]

Late career and death

Batalyon Sadar was dissolved in 1950 through instruction from the Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Army, and Effendi was dismissed from the position. From 1 February 1951 to 30 April, he became the MP of the Muna Legislative Council. Afterward, he worked as editor-in-chief of Teknik Permobilan magazine.^[5]

In 1955, he ran for the 1955 election as the candidate of Constitutional Assembly for the Centre for the Candidacy Movement of La Ode M. Effendi along with A. Sjafruddin.^[8] Although the movement won 31,988 votes and gained one seat, Sjafruddin was elected as the group representative at the Konstituante instead of Effendi.^[9] Effendi then went to Makassar and became the editor-in-chief of Tanah Air newspaper from 1960 until his death on 10 June 1965.^[5]