Composer, freedom fighters declared heroes

Composer, freedom fighters declared heroes

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono declared a composer and
five freedom fighters national heroes on Wednesday for their
contribution to the country's struggle for independence.

In a ceremony marking National Heroes Day, which falls on Nov.
10, Susilo handed official documents over to the descendants of
the six to confirm their new status.

High-ranking officials, such as House of Representatives (DPR)
Speaker Agung Laksono, People's Consultative Assembly Speaker
Hidayat Nurwahid, Supreme Court Chief Justice Bagir Manan and
Cabinet members also attended the ceremony.

Early in the morning, Susilo led a ceremony marking National
Heroes Day at Kalibata Heroes Cemetery in South Jakarta.

The six national heroes were popular composer Ismail Marzuki,
cleric Ahmad Rifai, linguist Raja Ali Haji and pro-independence
activists Gatot Mangkoepraja, Maskoen Soemadiredja and Andi
Mappanyukki.

The six were officially recognized as heroes because of their
active participation in the independence process, both through
the armed struggle and the arts and science.

Ismail was honored for enlivening the country's culture and
portraying the people's suffering during the colonial period
through his songs.

Maskoen Soemadiredja from West Java was among freedom fighters
who were imprisoned for their activities, along with founding
president Sukarno, at Banceuy Penitentiary in Bandung, West Java.
He was also acknowledged for his efforts to repatriate Indonesian
fighters who sought refuge in Australia.

Another of Sukarno's friends who was imprisoned in Banceuy
Penitentiary, Gatot Mangkoepradja, was also declared a national
hero for his activities during the independence struggle, and for
leading the Javanese and Madurese independence movement from 1948
to 1949.

South Sulawesi leader Andi Mappanyukki was honored for his
struggle and sacrifice during the independence struggle from 1945
to 1950 through his leadership of a social organization.

Raja Ali Haji of Riau was honored for his literary
contribution to the development of the Malay language. He was
also celebrated for his volume of poetry, Gurindam Dua Belas,
which he wrote in 1847. It was published in the Netherlands in
1953.

Another local leader from Central Java, Ahmad Rifa'I, was
honored for his activities against the Dutch colonialists. He was
exiled to Ambon in 1859, and died in Manado, North Sulawesi.