Indonesian to head international women's council

JAKARTA (JP): An Indonesian woman's leader has been elected president of the International Council of Women (ICW), becoming the fourth Asian to hold the position.

Kuraisin Sumhadi, deputy chief of the Indonesian Women's Congress (Kowani) was elected president for the 1994-97 period at the ICW's general assembly in Paris, which concluded yesterday, the Antara news agency reported.

Sumhadi, 63 years old, was previously vice president of the council. She won the vote after a tight election, beating the candidates from Israel and Nigeria.

The three previous Asian woman to hold the post were Dolats Hahi of Iran in 1973-1976, Princess Prem Purachatra of Thailand in 1976-1979 and Sookja Hoong of South Korea in 1986-1988.

Sumhadi became the strongest candidate when the election committee disqualified the Nigerian candidate because she is a government official. Sumhadi subsequently won over many of the votes intended for the Nigerian candidate, according to Suharsono Isnomo, the information attache at the Indonesian embassy in Paris.

Sumhadi has been active in many women's organizations at the national as well as international levels, and has taken part in various international seminars and conferences. She has mastered English, Dutch and French as well as her mother tongue, Indonesian. (emb)