First ever first lady to get state honor<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The government will confer, posthumously, the
\nBintang Mahaputra, the highest medal for meritorious services, to
\nFatmawati Sukarno, Indonesia's first ever first lady.<\/p>\n
The award will be given to one of her children in connection
\nwith National Heroes' Day on Nov. 10, Minister of Social Services
\nInten Suweno told reporters yesterday after reporting to
\nPresident Soeharto about the plan at Bina Graha.<\/p>\n
\"She is the only recipient of the award this year,\" Inten
\nstressed.<\/p>\n
Fatmawati sewed the red-and-white flag that was hoisted on
\nAug. 17, 1945, the day Sukarno proclaimed Indonesia's
\nindependence, according to the national encyclopedia.<\/p>\n
Her name graces the Fatmawati General Hospital in South
\nJakarta and the road on which it is located.<\/p>\n
Fatmawati was married to Sukarno in 1943 at the age of 19 and
\ninitially occupied the presidential palace as Indonesia's first
\never first lady. She later decided to leave the palace when
\nSukarno took Hartini as his new wife. She lived in Jakarta until
\nher death in 1980, 10 years after Sukarno's demise.<\/p>\n
Sukarno and Fatmawati met in 1938, in Bengkulu, southern
\nSumatra. Sukarno, a young, outspoken politician, had been sent
\ninto exile there by the Dutch colonial administration. Sukarno
\nwas married to Inggit Ganarsih at the time. They had been married
\n18 years with no children. Fatmawati agreed to marry Sukarno if
\nhe divorced Inggit.<\/p>\n
Fatmawati had five children, including Megawati Soekarnoputri,
\nnow the chairperson of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI), and
\nGuruh Soekarnoputra, also a PDI legislator and a successful
\nchoreographer. The other three are Guntur, Rachmawati and
\nSukmawati.<\/p>\n
One of her children will accept the star from the government,
\nsaid Inten. \"We will talk with the members of the family,\" she
\nsaid. (emb)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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