Silence fell on South Jakarta's Tanah Kusir cemetery when Victor Mocodompis said he hoped the mastermind of Friday's bombings would be nabbed soon and that justice would be upheld.
The 70-year-old tried hard to be strong as the body of his 33-year-old son, Evert Mocodompis, was buried on Monday afternoon. Evert was working in the restaurant of the JW Marriott Hotel when a terrorist detonated a bomb there on Friday morning.
"We forgive them. The crime shall not be repaid with crime. Don't keep your anger until the sun sets!" Victor said loudly, his voice trembling, his eyes unable to hide the sorrow.
Evert is survived by his wife Ratna, a five-year-old daughter and son born just a day after the tragedy.
Shirley Latuihamallo, a senior official of the Christian Church in Western Indonesia (GPIB), said Ratna and the newborn baby were healthy in hospital.
"Ratna knows and is fully aware that her husband is being buried today. But the doctor suggested that she rest, so she could not attend the service," she explained.
"We haven't even chosen a name for the baby," Mona said, adding that the whole family felt a big loss over the death.
Shirley said the church had assigned its members to assist at home, at the funeral and in the hospital where Ratna was being treated.
The church, she said, would miss Evert, who was known as a calm man who took the time to get involved in events amid his busy schedule at home and in the work place.
"He was a bit quiet but very sociable. He was keen and had actively participated in church events ever since he was a teenager. He chaired the first youth movement organization at the church in the 1990s," Shirley said of Evert.
Mona, Victor's cousin, said Farida Mocodompis, Evert's mother, was also unable to attend the funeral, as she had fainted earlier in the morning. Farida suffered from hypertension and was taken to the Sari Asih Hospital in Cileduk.
Vice president of the JW Marriott Hotel Jakarta, John Norton, said that Evert, the hotel's banquet chef, had always given his best during his tenure at the hotel.
"For seven years Evert always gave his best to the company, with high spirits and dedication. We feel a great loss," he said at Evert's wake, as quoted by Antara.
Evert is among the nine people confirmed dead after twin bombs hit the JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hotels in Mega Kuningan, South Jakarta, on July 17. To date, only five victims have been identified. Aside from Evert, the identified victims included three Australians and one New Zealander.
| 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|