Paku Alam VII buried with military honors

Paku Alam VII buried with military honors

YOGYAKARTA (JP): Both military and elaborate Javanese
ceremonies marked the burial on Sunday of acting governor and
traditional monarch Paku Alam VIII at the Astana Girigondo royal
cemetery in Temon, Kulonprogo, some 43 kilometers west of here.

Army Chief of Staff Gen. Subagyo H.S. officiated over the
military ceremony at Pakualaman Palace, while the chief of the
regional military command, Maj. Gen. Tyasno Sudarto, presided
over the ceremony at the cemetery, which was also attended by
Minister of Home Affairs Syarwan Hamid and Coordinating Minister
for People's Welfare and Poverty Eradication Haryono Suyono.

Opposition figure Megawati Soekarnoputri and Yogyakarta's
popularly elected royal governor, Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono X,
were present as well.

Sri Paku Alam, whose full royal title was Kanjeng Gusti
Pangeran Adipati Arya Paku Alam VIII, was accorded a military
ceremony because he held the honorary rank of major general.

Thousands of people lined the way from the palace to the
cemetery to pay their last respects to the monarch. It took the
procession two hours to reach the funeral site.

Paku Alam died of old age on Friday in Yogyakarta's Sardjito
General Hospital after 24 days of intensive treatment for
respiratory problems. He is survived by his two wives, seven of
his eight sons, eight daughters, 44 grandchildren and 18 great
grandchildren.

Relatives and colleagues remembered Paku Alam as a humble
person who was close to common citizens. He was also the only
governor in Indonesia who clearly declared his support for the
reform movement that eventually forced Soeharto to resign from
his presidency on May 21.

The monarch was also known to have many hobbies, including
shooting, photography and archery. He obtained a special award
from France's Federationale de Tir All Arc (FITA) on Dec. 24,
1997 for excellence in archery.

Born in Yogyakarta on April 10, 1910, Paku Alam VIII was the
son of KGPAA Paku Alam VII and Gusti Bendara Raden Ayu Retno
Puwaso. (swa/44)