Thousands join freedom celebration with Soeharto
Thousands join freedom celebration with Soeharto
JAKARTA (JP): Thousands of invited guests gathered at Merdeka
Palace yesterday to celebrate the country's 52nd independence day
in a solemn ceremony presided by President Soeharto.
The one-hour ceremony started at 10.00 a.m., the precise time
Indonesia's founding fathers, the late President Sukarno and Vice
President Muhammad Hatta, proclaimed the country's independence.
The ceremony, commanded by Col. Wahyono Sudjadi, was opened
with a siren and 17-gun salute followed by the reading of
proclamation text by House Speaker Wahono. It was followed by a
minute of silence to recall the nation's heroes.
Given front row seats at yesterday's ceremony were Sukarno's
children -- Megawati, Guntur, Guruh, Rachmawati and Bayu.
In the same row were Hatta's two daughters -- Meutia and
Gemala.
Seated in the adjacent row were Soeharto's offsprings.
The highlight of the ceremony was the hoisting of the national
flag led by Capt. Firman Satya Budi, chief of Menteng police
sub-precinct and son of Vice President Try Sutrisno.
The ceremony ended with students from 20 junior and senior
high schools singing patriotic songs.
Politics were left aside yesterday as Megawati, former chief
of the Indonesian Democratic Party before being ousted in a
government-backed congress, expressed joy at being in the palace
once again.
"This is also a nostalgic visit for me because I lived in this
palace for 23 years," she told reporters after congratulating
Soeharto together with her brothers and sisters.
"We must implement the spirit of independence with actions and
not just with ceremonies," she added.
Guests left the ceremony with a stronger spirit of patriotism
and the customary bag of souvenirs containing soft drinks, cakes
and herbal jamu, compliments of the presidential household.
For many, it was also an opportunity to hobnob with their
favorite ministers. Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas and
Minister of Education and Culture Wardiman Djojonegoro were busy
posing for photographs.
Following the ceremony, Soeharto had lunch with veterans and
independence fighters at the State Palace. Later in the evening,
the President hosted a reception for diplomatic corps in Jakarta.
(prb)