The students come to the BJ Habibie's grave to pay their respect to the former Indonesian president. They feel the freedom because of BJ Habibie's contributionJakarta (ANTARA) - Timor Leste 's first president and founding father Kay Rana Xanana Gusmao along with East Timorese students visited the grave of BJ Habibie at the Kalibata National Heroes' Cemetery in South Jakarta, Sunday morning, to pay their last respect to the the former Indonesian president.
"The students come to the BJ Habibie's grave to pay their respect to the former Indonesian president. They feel the freedom because of BJ Habibie's contribution," Gusmao said.
Xanana Gusmao said that the students of Timor Leste currently studying in Indonesia should visit BJ Habibie's grave as the former Indonesian president contributed to the establishment of Timor Leste.
During the visit, he was accompanied by East Timorese Ambassador to Indonesia Alberto XP Carlos and Habibie's private secretary, Rubijanto.
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Arriving at the grave of Habibie, Gusmao sat quietly for several minutes, and he continued to lay a wreath and sow flowers on it. After sprinkling flowers on BJ Habibie's grave, Xanana continued to put a wreath on the grave of BJ Habibie's wife, Hasri Ainun Besari.
A few minutes later, Habibie's son, Ilham Akbar Habibie, arrived at the BJ Habibie's grave. Xanana Gusmao repeated the sowing of flowers on BJ Habibie's grave while holding Ilham's hand.
On Saturday evening, Gusmao visited late BJ Habibie's residence at Patra Kuningan, Jakarta, to submit two letters and express the deepest condolences of the entire people of his country on the passing of Habibie.
Accompanied by Timor Leste's Ambassador to Indonesia Alberto Xavier Pereira Carlos, Gusmao arrived at Habibie's home at around 8:25 p.m. local time. Shortly after getting off the car, they directly entered the house.
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Gusmao and Carlos were received by Habibie's family members, including his two sons, Ilham Akbar Habibie and Thareq Kemal Habibie.
"I came here as the representative of the Government and People of Timor Leste to bring their messages to Habibie's family and to express our deepest condolences on the passing of Habibie," Xanana Gusmao told journalists after the meeting.
He praised Habibie for his excellence in the mastery of science and technology, saying that this Indonesia's third president was an inspirator owing to his smartness in science and technology and his consistency of upholding the universal values and principles. This 83-year-old former president passed away at 6.05 p.m. Wednesday (Sept 11) at the Gatot Subroto Army Hospital (RSPAD) where he was being treated by the best doctors, including those from the Presidential Doctors Team, since September 1.
The former president was buried at the heroes' cemetery with full military honors on Thursday (Sept 12).
Along the way from the mourning house in Patra Kuningan to the National Heroes' Cemetery in Kalibata, South Jakarta, numerous people stood on the road shoulders to pay their last respects to Habibie.
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Translator: Genta Tenri/ Azis Kurmala
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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