People celebrate Aug. 17 modestly

People celebrate Aug. 17 modestly

JAKARTA (JP): Thousands of people joined the solemn
commemoration of Indonesia's 53rd anniversary of independence in
a ceremony led by President B.J. Habibie in the grounds of
Merdeka Palace.

Conspicuously absent from the assembled dignitaries was former
president Soeharto, who has presided over the ceremony for the
last 32 years. Although invited, Soeharto spent the day at his
home on Jl. Cendana in Central Jakarta, according to sources
close to the former president.

His eldest daughter, Siti Hardijanti Rukmana, was also absent
from the ceremony. Her five siblings were not invited.

The children of former president Sukarno and Muhammad Hatta,
who together proclaimed Indonesian independence 53 years ago
yesterday, were all seated in the front row of the dais along
with Hatta's wife Rahmi.

Habibie's wife Hasri Ainun Besari was seated to his left on
the podium. His two sons Ilham Akbar and Thareq Kemal were also
present with their spouses.

Sukarno's eldest daughter, Megawati Soekarnoputri, was also
absent. Megawati, the ousted leader of the Indonesian Democratic
Party (PDI), led a similar celebration with her supporters in
West Jakarta.

The one-hour ceremony started at 10:00 a.m., four minutes
before Indonesia's founding fathers, the late president Sukarno
and vice president Muhammad Hatta, proclaimed Indonesian
independence in 1945.

Col. Nono Sampono commanded the ceremony, which opened with a
siren and a 17-gun salute. House speaker Harmoko then read out
the text of the proclamation.

Guests smiled after the President handed over the text to the
Speaker, because he intended to shake hands with Harmoko, but the
latter, unaware, turned away.

A minute of silence was then observed to remember the nation's
heroes.

This was followed by the hoisting of the national flag by a
group of selected senior high school students from across the
country.

As an apparent symbol of the nation's unity, Liria da Conceiao
Mendez from East Timor and Gabrina Rezki from Aceh were chosen to
receive two flags from Habibie -- one of which is the original
flag made by Sukarno's wife Fatmawati 53 years ago.

In previous years guests received a bag containing soft drinks
and cakes, compliments of the presidential household.

Palace officials said they could not provide any hospitality
this year because the budget was too small and regular sponsors
were reluctant to contribute because of the economic crisis.

Birds

Minister/State Secretary Akbar Tandjung said Soeharto could
not come because he had to attend a family reunion out of town.

However a source close to Soeharto said the former president
spent the whole day at home, watching TV and looking after his
birds, including his favorite parrot which still calls him Bapak
President.

"It is best for him and for others that he did not come to the
Palace," the source said.

Soeharto's house on Jl. Cendana in Central Jakarta was still
being tightly guarded by the Presidential Security Guard
(Paspampres) yesterday afternoon, despite last week's promise by
the unit's commander to end presidential security privileges for
Soeharto shortly after the independence day celebrations.

Yesterday's ceremony at the Merdeka Palace was marked by a
minor incident when three Jakartans -- a woman and two men who
were later found to be mentally ill -- tried to gatecrash the
proceedings.

Gambir Police Subprecinct chief Maj. Martuani Siregar told The
Jakarta Post the three were dressed in smart outfits and looked
like any other guests. "But they were acting strangely ... they
had medication in their bags and their relatives have
subsequently told us they are mentally disturbed," he said.

One of the men, identified as J. Sucipto, told police that he
wanted to meet the President to talk about his business.

Elsewhere, celebrations proceeded in a less than festive mood,
blamed by many on the economic hardship that first hit Indonesia
in July last year. Fears of renewed rioting stemming from rumors
spread over the past weeks turned out to be unfounded.

In Bandung, the capital of West Java, children celebrated the
day with traditional contests, as did children in Yogyakarta.
Many shops in the two cities remained closed throughout the day.

In Tegal, Central Java, security personnel were posted in
strategic places around the town and carnivals were barred.

"We're afraid that any large gatherings of people could
degenerate into rioting," one source in the security forces said.

Thousands of passengers were stranded at the Tegal intercity
bus terminal because some buses refused to operate following
threats of vandalism. Driver Suhadi, who plies the Tegal-
Purwokerto route, said anonymous people had threatened to set
fire to any buses that went out after 10 a.m. (prb/edt/43/23/44)