Female independence activist dies

JAKARTA (JP): Independence movement activist, Sihwati Nawangwulan, who is also the wife of former Indonesian minister for foreign affairs and ambassador to the United Nations Ruslan Abdulgani, passed away here on Tuesday morning at the age of 85.

Sihwati, who received the "Guerrilla Star" medal in 1992 for her heroic involvement in the Indonesian independence movement, was buried at the Kalibata Hero Cemetery in South Jakarta at 1:15 p.m. with Gen.(ret) Achmad Taher leading the burial ceremony, Antara reported.

She is survived by her husband, five children, 10 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Sihwati had also served as a volunteer during Jakarta's campaign to free Irian Jaya from the Dutch in the 1960s, as well as chairwoman of the UN Women's Association in 1967.