Family, friends observe Hatta's 93th birthday

Family, friends observe Hatta's 93th birthday

JAKARTA (JP): Family members and friends of Mohammad Hatta,
the late Indonesian first vice president, observed Hatta's 93th
birthday at his grave in Tanah Kusir cemetery yesterday.

Attending the event were Hatta's widow, Rahmi Hatta,
chairwoman of Indonesian Democratic Party Megawati Sukarno
Puteri, Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Azwar Anas,
ex-cabinet minister Emil Salim, human rights activist Adnan
Buyung Nasution, Sri Bintang Pamungkas, Hatta's foster son Des
Alwi and a number of veterans of the Indonesian war for
independence.

An Islamic ritual was performed at the beginning of the
gathering, followed by a speech by Emil Salim reflecting on
Hatta's views and attitude. The commemoration ended with the
scattering of flowers on the grave.

The idea to hold the event reportedly came spontaneously from
youths belonging to a group calling itself the Young Generation
of Indonesia, said the commemoration committee's chairman Syahrul
Effendi. The event, which was also intended to mark Indonesia's
50th anniversary, is to be followed up by a discussion and
seminar on Hatta's views as an economist and statesman, he said.

Hatta, who is also known as "Bung (Brother) Hatta", together
with Indonesia's first president, Sukarno, proclaimed the
country's independence and signed the text of the Indonesian
proclamation of independence. The text was read out by Sukarno on
Aug. 17, 1945, and broadcast to the world.

Hatta died on March 14, 1980, at the age of 78.

Sri Edi Swasono, who represented the Hatta family, thanked the
youths who sponsored the event. Edi, Hatta's son-in-law, said
that their participation in the event proved that nationalism
among the younger generation was not on the decline.

Edi also cited Hatta's will, which asked to be buried in a
public cemetery instead of at the Heroes Cemetery in Kalibata.

Meanwhile, Emil Salim said that Hatta's views should become
guidelines for the leaders of the state, particularly Hatta's
commitment to morality and his concern for the people.

Hatta was one of the few Indonesian leaders to have
relinquished a top government position on grounds of conflicting
principles. In his 1956 letter of resignation, Hatta said it was
time for him to quit because the House of Representatives and the
Constitution had been set up.

This, however, was not the real reason for his resignation.

Political analyst Deliar Noer, the author of Mohammad Hatta's
political biography, has reported that Hatta decided to quit
because the position of vice president didn't give him the
authority to curb irregularities in government, especially rife
corruption. Hatta was upset because he did not have the power to
challenge the disorder.

The anguish was exacerbated by Hatta's aversion to Sukarno's
polygamous private life.

Apart from that, he also disagreed with some of Sukarno's
decisions and ideas, such as the dismissal of some high-level
officials that were carried out without consulting him.

According to Emil, championing human rights was one of Hatta's
strongest merits. Hatta struggled for human rights long before
people were talking about it in the United Nations or even before
Indonesia existed, Emil said.

"He claimed human rights during Dutch colonization by
demanding the people's right to independence, to gather and to
determine their own fate," Emil said, adding that Hatta was the
man who included Article 28 in the Indonesian Constitution which
affirms the people's right to gather, assemble and express
opinions. (01)