Meritorious award

Meritorious award

From Kompas

My mother and I had every reason to be proud of my late father
being included in the list of freedom fighters who were
conferred meritorious awards. It was Nov. 17, 1995 when the
Regional Executive Board of the 45 Generation of North Sulawesi
province, based on Presidential Decree No.50/1984, conferred an
honor which entailed installing a sharpened bamboo pole on this
grave.

My mother was particularly delighted on the occasion. But her
joy waned a little at the end of the award presenting ceremony
when she and other widows of heroes were obliged to pay Rp 25,000
in administrative costs, a significant amount for an elderly
woman in that town. I was quite astonished at this practice.

MARTINO ANDRIAS

Jakarta