Riau relocates heroes' remains

PEKANBARU, Riau: Authorities exhumed the bodies of 18 freedom fighters from various cemeteries and gave them a proper heroes burial, complete with military ceremony, at the Kusuma Bhakti Cemetery in Pekanbaru yesterday, Antara reported.

The ceremony coincided with yesterday's national Heroes Day. It was led by Col. Songko Purnomo, chief of the Wirabima military command.

The relocation was the initiative of the Executive Council of the Generation of 1945.

The Kusuma Bhakti Cemetery was inaugurated by Riau Governor Soeripto in August for burying the freedom fighters, currently buried in different areas in Riau, in one place, a council member, Idris Sutrisna, said. The cemetery has room for 1,200 graves. (emb)