Bomb killed find-raiser for Bali victims

Bomb killed find-raiser for Bali victims

Fitri Wulandari and P.J. Leo, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

"In my house, I have a 2003 calendar with pictures taken by Hans
Winkelmolen. The calendar was made and sold to raise funds for
victims of the Bali bombings," reads an e-mail that has been
circulating recently.

"But tragically, Hans himself was a victim of the bombing at
the JW Marriott," it said.

The e-mail, which was sent out after last Tuesday's bombing at
the JW Marriott Hotel in Jakarta, gives an heartbreaking account
on Hans Winkelmolen, the late president director of Rabobank
Indonesia.

Adri Triwicahyo, a Rabobank official, confirmed that
Winkelmolen worked on the calendar with friends to raise money
for victims of the Bali bombings.

"But I don't remember when he sold the calendars, because it
was a personal project," Adri told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

"He was fond of photography. His photos in the calendar, I
think, were the faces of Indonesian people, smiling," he said.

The 49-year-old Dutchman was the only non-Indonesian killed in
the Marriott bombing, which claimed a total of 10 lives.

Very few facts about Winkelmolen's life outside of his work in
Indonesia have been given. A press release from Rabobank only
said that Winkelmolen was survived by his wife Maria and their
two children.

He joined the Netherlands-based Rabobank in 1975, filling
several positions in Rabobank's local and international network.
His first foreign assignment was in Germany in 1989. Before
taking the job of general manager of Rabobank Indonesia in 2000,
he worked in Bangkok as the general manager for Rabobank
International.

Rabobank is a well-known bank in the Netherlands, dating back
to the 19th century. Internationally, the group has 143 offices
and a total of 5,928 employees.

Winkelmolen was very shortly expected to return to the
Netherlands at the time of his death, having completed his
assignment in Indonesia.

He had already sent his wife and children home, while he
remained behind in Jakarta to finalize his departure. He was
staying in the JW Marriott Hotel.

On the day of the bombing, he was scheduled to meet his
successor, Canadian Antonio (Tony) Costa, for lunch.

Winkelmolen was walking toward the lobby, pass the Sailendra
Restaurant, when the bomb went off, killing him and nine others.

A memorial service was held for Winkelmolen on Friday night at
the Rumah Duka Dharmais Hospital, attended by grieving friends
and colleagues. Several Indonesian dignitaries also were in
attendance, including former finance minister Frans Seda and
former Bank Indonesia deputy governor Miranda Goeltom.

Winkelmolen's wife Maria, accompanied by his brother Thijs
Winkelmolen, also attended the service.

Maria had expected to see her husband back in the Netherlands
in a couple of days. The whole family would have been back
together in their home.

"It is a heart-wrenching tragedy. How can the same tragedy
befall him?

"This country seemed reluctant to let Hans return to his
homeland. This country sent Hans to his homeland, to God," the e-
mail ends.