Soesilo, first and foremost a fighter
Soesilo Soedarman, coordinating minister for political and security affairs since 1993, was known as a fighter throughout his public life.
Born in a village near Cilacap in Central Java in 1928, he abandoned a prestigious high school seat in 1945 to join -- as did most Indonesian youths at the time -- the fight to defend Indonesia's independence, which was proclaimed on August 17, from the returning Dutch forces.
His birthday, November 10, coincides with the national Heroes' Day.
The title of his 1993 biography Soesilo Soedarman -- Prajurit, Diplomat, Nayaka (Soesilo Soedarman -- Soldier, Diplomat, Dedicated Public Servant) omitted the word fighter but the book described his fighting spirit. Those who knew him also singled this out as among his most notable qualities.
He certainly fought for his life against the diabetes and heart and lung disease complications that took his life yesterday.
Soesilo had very distinguished careers in the military and the government.
He reached the apex of his military career from 1980 to 1985 as chief of the now disbanded First Territorial Military Command covering Sumatra and West Kalimantan. He retired from active service with the rank of lieutenant general.
His government career began as Indonesian ambassador to the United States (1985/1988), then as minister of tourism, post and telecommunications (1988/1993), and as coordinating minister for political and security affairs beginning in 1993. He was three months short of completing the five-year cabinet term.
In 1993, because of his untiring service to the government, Soesilo's military rank was promoted to honorary full general by President Soeharto.
Soesilo was the fourth of Raden Soedarman Wirjosoedarmo's and Sumbiyah's 12 children. They were an aristocratic family who lived in the Nusajati village in Maos district near Cilacap.
Born Soemarlan, as the first boy, he was raised mostly by his grandparents, who changed his name to Soesilo when he was 18 months old.
Like most children from the aristocracy, the young Soesilo had access to the best education that money could buy.
He attended Neutrale School in Maos, the HJS in Purwokerto, Taman Dewasa in Yogyakarta, and the Senior High School in Yogyakarta.
His military education included stints at the Yogya Military Academy (1945/1948), the Reserves Cavalry Officers School in Amersfoort in the Netherlands (1952/1953), the Associate Armor Officer Advance Course in Fort Knox, Kentucky, U.S. (1956/1957), Wayenaya Akademia Imeni Frunze in Moscow (1961/1962), and the Senior International Defense Management Court at the Naval Postgraduate in Monterey, U.S (1976).
After leading the first cavalry battalion at the Siliwangi Military Command in 1959/1960, he spent most of his military years as a teacher or instructor. He was a lecturer at the Army School of Staff and Command, commandant of the Cadette Regiment at Magelang's National Military Academy, commandant of the Cadette Division at the Armed Forces Academy (AKABRI), and AKABRI deputy governor.
His first experience in the diplomatic world came in 1970 when he served as military attache to the Indonesian embassy in Washington for three years. He returned to serve at the Ministry of Defense and Security as assistant for personnel matters to the minister. In 1978 he returned to AKABRI as commandant general.
Soesilo was also active in politics, serving as a member of the People's Consultative Assembly since 1988, and in sports, as deputy chairman of the National Sports Council from 1990 to 1995.
His biography lists 21 meritorious service awards from the government and military, including Bintang Mahaputra Adhipradana, the Bintang Dharma and Bintang Gerilya. Among the various awards from abroad, he received the Legion of Merit award from the U.S. government in 1988.
Soesilo married Widaningsri in 1951, and the couple had four sons and a daughter.
Unlike many government officials' children, Soesilo's offspring are virtually unheard of in the Indonesian business world. All five, however, have excelled academically, something that Soesilo often proudly underscored in private conversations.
The eldest, his daughter Pradewi, is a doctor; the second child, Indroyono, is a PhD holder; Triharyo has a masters degree; Carono was a graduate in hospital management from the United States; and the youngest, Pancolo Indrajat, graduated from University of Indonesia's School of Social and Political Sciences.
Tragedy struck Soesilo's family in March last year when Carono died, at 34, due to a liver complication.
A devout Moslem, Soesilo was known for his strict discipline, especially when it came to timing.
Punctuality was his leadership hallmark. In one interview, he said punctuality was essential not only at work, but also to allow him to divide his time between work, family and prayers. (emb)