Megawati, siblings mark father's anniversary<\/p>\n
Febiola Desy Unidjaja and Yuli Tri Suwarni, The Jakarta Post,
\nJakarta\/Bandung<\/p>\n
In celebrating the 102nd anniversary of founding president
\nSukarno's birth, President Megawati Soekarnoputri held a
\npurifying ceremony for her father's amulets at the Bogor
\nPresidential Palace on Friday.<\/p>\n
Clad in a kebaya (traditional blouse), Sukarno's eldest
\ndaughter attended the ceremony, which was led by five preachers
\nfrom Karangasem and Gianyar, Bali.<\/p>\n
Sukarno's mother was Ida Ayu Nyoman Rai Srimben, a Balinese
\nHindu high priest's daughter, and Raden Mas Soekemi
\nSosrodihardjoe, a Javanese school teacher.<\/p>\n
The ceremony, titled Karya Agung Pasupati Pusakaning Bung
\nKarno in Indonesian, was also attended by Sukarno's sons Guruh
\nSoekarnoputra and Guntur Soekarnoputra.<\/p>\n
The press were barred from covering the sacred ritual.<\/p>\n
Purifying amulets such as traditional daggers and spears is
\nconsidered sacred by most Indonesians who still believe in such
\ntraditions.<\/p>\n
Many believe that Megawati is among those Indonesians who
\nbelieve that keeping amulets will ensure the welfare of the
\ndeceased and also maintain ties between the deceased and his
\noffspring.<\/p>\n
But not all of Sukarno's children attended the ceremony. Local
\nnewspapers reported that Rachmawati Soekarnoputri was against the
\ncelebration.<\/p>\n
"Even if I was asked to participate, I would have said no,"
\nshe was quoted by the Rakyat Merdeka daily as saying on Friday.<\/p>\n
She suspected that Megawati was trying to invoke supernatural
\npowers to maintain her presidency, which has come under sharp
\ncriticism recently.<\/p>\n
Rachmawati has always been Megawati's staunchest critic and
\nhas allied herself with Megawati's political opponents, such as
\nformer president Abdurrahman Wahid and National Mandate Party
\n(PAN) chairman Amien Rais.<\/p>\n
Instead of attending the ceremony, Rachmawati staged a large
\nceremony attended by 1,000 supporters of her newly-founded
\nPioneer Party (Partai Pelopor).<\/p>\n
In Bandung, Sukarno's anniversary was celebrated by dedicating
\nan Indonesia Menggugat (Indonesia Demands) plaque at the former
\nDutch Landraad (District Court) building.<\/p>\n
The plaque was signed by Megawati on Dec. 30, 2002, when she
\nvisited Bandung.<\/p>\n
West Java Governor R. Nuriana said that the dedication marked
\nthe renovation of the building, which was where Sukarno and three
\nof his colleagues, Gatot Mangkoepradja, Maskoen Soemadiredja and
\nSoepriadinata, were tried by the Netherlands Indies
\nadministration on Dec. 22, 1930 for attempting to subvert the
\nlawfully established government.<\/p>\n
At the trial, Sukarno read out his own defense, which later
\ncame to be known as Indonesia Menggugat. He was convicted and
\nsentenced to four years in Sukamiskin jail.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/megawati-siblings-mark-fathers-anniversary-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}