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Surakarta holds parade to remember Gus Dur nine years after his death
A street parade commemorating the ninth year of Abdurrahman Wahid’s passing was held in Surakarta on Saturday.
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A replica of Chinese Admiral Cheng Ho is presented in Saturday’s parade. (JP/Ganug Nugroho Adi)
Heavy rain pouring over Surakarta did not keep thousands from participating in a parade commemorating the ninth year of Abdurrahman Wahid’s passing last Saturday. Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo, Surakarta Mayor FX Hadi “Rudy” Rudyatmo and Gus Dur’s daughter, Yenny Wahid, joined in the 3-kilometer march from Manahan Stadium to Sriwedari Garden.
Under the motto “A Million Colors in One Indonesian Soul” the parade moved along the city’s main roads and concluded at Sriwedari Garden on Jl. Slamet Riyadi. People of various religious and ethnic backgrounds joined the parade.
Several art communities also participated in the event, performing a lion dance, hadrah music, ogoh-ogoh and a number of traditional dances. A Garuda Pancasila replica led the formation as the symbol of national diversity.
“This is a part of how [we] love and care for Indonesia,” said Ganjar. “Thousands of people from various religious and ethnic backgrounds gather here to celebrate diversity at this ninth commemoration event of Gus Dur’s passing. This is extraordinary,” he continued.
Surakarta Mayor Rudy was seen leading the parade, donning a white long-sleeved shirt and a red and white headband, as did most other participants. No political campaign attributes were seen at the parade.
“This is purely a parade of the nation commemorating Gus Dur’s passing. This is not a political movement. There are no chants or campaign-related attributes,” Rudy said.
Read also: Surakarta presents diversity 'jenang' at annual festival
Rudy noted that Gus Dur was a defender of humanity and the father of pluralism. Rudy asked the public to protect Indonesia’s character as a country of peace, pluralism, diversity and humanity.
“Let’s care for Indonesia. Maintaining diversity, respecting each other without differentiating on the basis of religion, ethnicity or skin color, that’s humanity. That is how we should act as a nation in our country,” he added.
Representing Gus Dur’s family, Yenny Wahid said she was proud and touched by the participants’ enthusiasm and that she wished such an event were held in many other regions.
“On behalf of our family, I would like to convey my gratitude. I did not expect the event to be this festive,” she said.
According to Yenny, diversity and respect for differences in society were the foundation for the big steps in Gus Dur’s life. Differences, she said, should not be an obstacle for Indonesians to unite as one nation and one country.
“Diversity, differences and respect for differences must always be a topic of discussion. This event is an effort to create a beautiful togetherness amid differences,” she concluded. (asw)
