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)