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We honor Comrade Francisca C. Fanggidaej as an exemplary Indonesian freedom fighter, a proletarian revolutionary, and a valued friend of the Filipino people.

 

 

MESSAGE OF CONDOLENCES
By LUIS G. JALANDONI
NDFP Chief International Representative
17 November 2013
 

Tribute to Comrade Francisca C. Fanggidaej, Indonesian revolutionary and valued friend of the Filipino people

 

Comrade Franscisca Fanggidaej born in Noel Mina, Timor, died in Utrecht, The Netherlands on 13 November 2013. We express our most heartfelt condolences to her family, other relatives, comrades and friends.

After World War II she became active in the armed movement for Indonesian independence. In 1949, she became chairperson of the youth organization Pemuda Rakyat. She was also a leading figure in the Gerakan Wanita Indonesia (GERWANI), Indonesian Women's Movement. She pursued her career as a journalist. She was the founder of the Foundation for Asian Studies.

Her career as journalist allowed her to travel to various countries. In 1957 she took her place in the Indonesian People's Congress as the representative of journalists. In 1960 and 1963 as representative of the Indonesian Parliament, she went to Cuba and had several meetings with Cuban President Fidel Castro. In 1964, as adviser of President Sukarno she joined the state visit to Algeria. In 1965 she went to Chile to attend the Congress of the International Journalist Organization.

After the coup in September 1965 perpetrated by General Suharto, with the connivance of the CIA, Comrade Francisca could not return to Indonesia. She spent 20 years as an exile in China. Since 1985, she has been living in The Netherlands. In 2003, after almost 40 years, she was able to return to Indonesia to visit her family. In 2006 she wrote a book in the Indonesian language, Memoar Perempuan Revolusioner (Memories of a Woman Revolutionary).

Through many years, Comrade Francisca expressed her solidarity and firm support for the Filipino people's revolutionary struggle against US imperialism and a succession of reactionary regimes. She and her Indonesian comrades and friends would attend political gatherings of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, such as anniversaries, educational sessions, and other solidarity events for the Philippine liberation struggle. She expressed especially deep interest in the people's war. We also would meet her at significant occasions organized by Indonesian patriots. 

We honor Comrade Francisca C. Fanggidaej as an exemplary Indonesian freedom fighter and a proletarian revolutionary. We value her deep solidarity and abiding friendship for the Filipino people and consistent support for our struggle for national and social liberation