Romo Mangun dies of heart attack<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Yusuf Bilyarta Mangunwijaya -- the writer,
\narchitect, social worker and Catholic priest popularly known as
\nRomo Mangun -- died of a heart attack on Wednesday, shortly after
\naddressing a seminar on the role of books in society's progress.<\/p>\n
He was 69.<\/p>\n
Kartini Nurdin, chairwoman of seminar's organizing committee,
\nsaid he was pronounced dead at 1:55 p.m.<\/p>\n
His body will be flown to his hometown of Yogyakarta on
\nThursday morning.<\/p>\n
Romo Mangun collapsed as he was about to return to his seat at
\nthe event organized by Yayasan Obor Indonesia at Le Meridien
\nhotel, Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Assistance was quickly provided, including from the hotel's
\ndoctor, but it was to no avail.<\/p>\n
The two-day seminar centered on the \"Role of Books in New
\nIndonesian Society\". Romo Mangun addressed the second session of
\nthe seminar, delivering a 20-page paper on the wisdom of books in
\nscientific and technological progress.<\/p>\n
\"He looked healthy and, as usual, was very witty and sharp,
\nwith his light jokes,\" said seminar participant Samsudin Berlian
\nfrom the United Nations Development Program office in Jakarta.
\n\"There was nothing unusual (about his appearance) until he
\nfinished his paper.\"<\/p>\n
Samsudin said the moderator's introduction included a mention
\nof Romo Mangun service as a guerrilla fighter during the
\nindependence struggle in the late 1940s.<\/p>\n
In his speech, Romo Mangun, a longtime critic of the far-
\nreaching military role in Indonesian politics, picked up on the
\ntheme.<\/p>\n
He related that he served under Army Maj. Soeharto, who later
\nruled the country for 32 years and became a frequent subject of
\nthe priest's criticism.<\/p>\n
\"In wayang (Javanese legends), the tentara (soldier) is
\nequated with robbery,\" he said in a pointed comment which drew
\nlaughter from the audience.<\/p>\n
President B.J. Habibie and First Lady Hasri Ainun Habibie paid
\ntheir last respects to the priest at the cathedral in Central
\nJakarta on Wednesday evening.<\/p>\n
Accompanied by Archbishop Julius Cardinal Darmaatmadja,
\nHabibie laid a wreath in front of the coffin.<\/p>\n
The President recounted to the cardinal that he first met Romo
\nMangun when they studied together in the 1960s.<\/p>\n
\"I knew this priest as a fighter, as a peace lover, who gave
\nspecial attention to humanity,\" Habibie said in brief remarks.<\/p>\n
The President bestowed a special award on the priest last
\nAugust during commemoration of National Awakening of Technology
\nDay at the State Palace.<\/p>\n
Only one day later, the daily Kompas carried Romo Mangun's
\nopen letter urging the President to liberate the East Timorese
\nfrom prolonged suffering.<\/p>\n
\"We will continue his struggle to make the nation live in
\npeace and love,\" the President said.<\/p>\n
He also offered a plane to transport the body to Yogyakarta.<\/p>\n
\"You can use a state plane,\" the President told the cardinal
\nbefore ending his 10-minute visit.<\/p>\n
In a magazine interview last year, Romo Mangun said he was not
\ninterested in writing an autobiography, quipping \"I might be
\npersuaded to write an anti-biography, though\".<\/p>\n
Friends were preparing a book on his life in conjunction with
\nhis 70th birthday in May.<\/p>\n
Noted political observer J. Soedjati Djiwandono told The
\nJakarta Post on Wednesday that \"a lot of writers were
\ncontributing to the book\" which would serve as a \"tribute to the
\nman\".<\/p>\n
Soedjati, who also contributed an essay to the book, said it
\nwas scheduled for publication in May.<\/p>\n
He characterized Romo Mangun as \"a well-rounded man, a man of
\nmany hats and he was a very rare kind of man, and his death is a
\ngreat loss to the country\".<\/p>\n
\"I think it was a beautiful death because he died during a
\nseminar just like Soedjatmoko,\" social and political observer
\nMochtar Buchori said, referring to the noted scholar who died of
\na heart attack during a discussion in Yogyakarta in 1989.<\/p>\n
\"Romo Mangun was a great humanist and a grass-roots worker ...
\nthe nation will miss a very great person, I hope that the nation
\nwill continue his noble work to educate the people to become a
\nmore humane nation.\"<\/p>\n
Mochtar first met Romo Mangun through his daughter when she
\nwas a student at Gadjah Mada University, where the priest taught
\narchitecture.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the leader of the 30 million-strong Nahdlatul Ulama
\nMuslim organization, Abdurrahman Wahid, said Romo Mangun was \"an
\nhonest man and one of the best intellectuals in the country\".<\/p>\n
Antara reported on Wednesday that Dili Bishop Carlos Felipe
\nXimenes Belo expressed his condolences, saying Romo Mangun had
\ncontributed \"constructive ideas toward a peaceful, just and
\ndemocratic solution to the East Timor problem\".<\/p>\n
The news agency said Belo, who was accompanied by Romo Mangun
\nwhen he accepted the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo in 1996, also
\nplanned to hold a Mass for Romo Mangun in Dili.<\/p>\n
Romo Mangun's personal secretary, Dini, revealed in Yogyakarta
\nhe once made a will stating his wish to donate his body to Gadjah
\nMada University's medical school for research.
\n(emb\/byg\/ivy\/edt\/prb\/23\/44\/Tedy Novan)<\/p>",
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