Mrs. Nasution opposes removal of Ade's grave
Mrs. Nasution opposes removal of Ade's grave
JAKARTA (JP): The ongoing relocation of the Blok P public
cemetery in South Jakarta may be suspended due to controversy
over negotiations with relatives.
Johana Sunarti Nasution, the mother of national hero Ade Irma
Suryani Nasution, yesterday condemned the city's plan.
"Does not the Jakarta administration pay any respect to
history anymore?
"Should every historical relic be sacrificed for money?"
Nasution was reminding the mayoralty of a promise by former
Jakarta governor Henk Ngantung, who guaranteed during Ade's
funeral on Oct. 7, 1965 that the Blok P public cemetery would not
be relocated.
Earlier, the government offered to bury Ade at the Kalibata
National Hero Cemetery in South Jakarta. But Nasution rejected
the offer because she wanted Ade buried at a public cemetery to
maintain her closeness with the people.
Ade, the youngest daughter of former House speaker Gen. (ret.)
Abdul Haris Nasution, was shot and killed by rebel members of the
presidential guard corps Cakrabirawa in the early hours of Oct.
1, 1965. She was five years old at the time.
Members of the presidential guard corps were believed to have
been involved in an abortive coup attempt blamed on the outlawed
Indonesian Communist Party.
Ade's father, a respected senior military member, was widely
recognized as a strong critic of government policies.
The girl's body was one of 4,626 buried in the Blok P
cemetery.
The Jakarta administration is relocating the remains to two
public cemeteries. The remains of 3,724 Moslems will be moved to
Srengseng Sawah public cemetery, while the remaining 902, who
were Christians, will go to Kampung Kandang public cemetery. Both
are in South Jakarta.
The work is being done between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. and is
expected to be completed by Sept. 21.
On Wednesday, governor Surjadi sent a letter to Nasution
asking her to further discuss the relocation plan.
A member of staff at Nasution's residence said yesterday that
the meeting was scheduled for early next week.
Stubborn
Despite objections from city councilors, the municipality has
insisted on continuing the relocation of Blok P cemetery to make
way for the South Jakarta mayoralty's new office.
Governor Surjadi Soedirdja said earlier that the plan would go
ahead because the mayoralty really needed a new office.
He said the municipality had approached relatives of those
buried at the cemetery and explained the reasons for the
construction of a new office.
Councilor Saud Rachman of the United Development Party (PPP)
urged the municipality on Tuesday to consult the council on the
plan because it changed the designated use of land from a green
area to an office site. This move would be against the current
1985/2005 city plan, he said.
But, the head of the City Planning Agency, Ahmaddin Ahmad,
said that changing a land's designated use needed approval from
the governor not the councilors.
When the removal is completed, construction of the Rp 54.8
billion ($20.67 million) office will start. It is expected to be
completed by 2001.
The project consists of a 16-story building for the
mayoralty's main office and two four-story buildings for public
services.
The city, however, has not revealed its plan for the current
site of the South Jakarta mayoralty office on Jl. Trunojoyo,
which is adjacent to the ASEAN Secretariat and National Police
Headquarters. (imn)