Composer, freedom fighters declared heroes<\/p>\n
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono declared a composer and
\nfive freedom fighters national heroes on Wednesday for their
\ncontribution to the country's struggle for independence.<\/p>\n
In a ceremony marking National Heroes Day, which falls on Nov.
\n10, Susilo handed official documents over to the descendants of
\nthe six to confirm their new status.<\/p>\n
High-ranking officials, such as House of Representatives (DPR)
\nSpeaker Agung Laksono, People's Consultative Assembly Speaker
\nHidayat Nurwahid, Supreme Court Chief Justice Bagir Manan and
\nCabinet members also attended the ceremony.<\/p>\n
Early in the morning, Susilo led a ceremony marking National
\nHeroes Day at Kalibata Heroes Cemetery in South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The six national heroes were popular composer Ismail Marzuki,
\ncleric Ahmad Rifai, linguist Raja Ali Haji and pro-independence
\nactivists Gatot Mangkoepraja, Maskoen Soemadiredja and Andi
\nMappanyukki.<\/p>\n
The six were officially recognized as heroes because of their
\nactive participation in the independence process, both through
\nthe armed struggle and the arts and science.<\/p>\n
Ismail was honored for enlivening the country's culture and
\nportraying the people's suffering during the colonial period
\nthrough his songs.<\/p>\n
Maskoen Soemadiredja from West Java was among freedom fighters
\nwho were imprisoned for their activities, along with founding
\npresident Sukarno, at Banceuy Penitentiary in Bandung, West Java.
\nHe was also acknowledged for his efforts to repatriate Indonesian
\nfighters who sought refuge in Australia.<\/p>\n
Another of Sukarno's friends who was imprisoned in Banceuy
\nPenitentiary, Gatot Mangkoepradja, was also declared a national
\nhero for his activities during the independence struggle, and for
\nleading the Javanese and Madurese independence movement from 1948
\nto 1949.<\/p>\n
South Sulawesi leader Andi Mappanyukki was honored for his
\nstruggle and sacrifice during the independence struggle from 1945
\nto 1950 through his leadership of a social organization.<\/p>\n
Raja Ali Haji of Riau was honored for his literary
\ncontribution to the development of the Malay language. He was
\nalso celebrated for his volume of poetry, Gurindam Dua Belas,
\nwhich he wrote in 1847. It was published in the Netherlands in
\n1953.<\/p>\n
Another local leader from Central Java, Ahmad Rifa'I, was
\nhonored for his activities against the Dutch colonialists. He was
\nexiled to Ambon in 1859, and died in Manado, North Sulawesi.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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