Abdullah Kamil

Abdullah Kamil (27 December 191911 July 1991) was an Indonesian career diplomat who served as ambassador three times. He was Indonesia's ambassador to Yugoslavia from 1968 to 1971, to Austria from 1974 to 1979, and to the United Nations from 1979 to 1982. Born in Binjai, Abdullah initially worked as a journalist and correspondent for various magazines before joining the fledgling Indonesian diplomatic service in 1948. He occuped various domestic and overseas postings throughout his career, culminating with his ambassadorial appointments.

Early life and journalism Abdullah Kamil was born on 27 December 1919 in Binjai as the third child of Muhammad Nur Ismail, a qadhi (religious official) in the Sultanate of Langkat. He received religious education from his parents, as well as his father's disciples, including Syeikh Abdullah Afifuddin and Zainal Ariffin Abbas. Abdullah completed basic education at Taman Dewasa, a branch of the Taman Siswa education movement, and the Khalsa English School, both in Medan. He also worked as correspondent for Antara and Pewarta Deli daily as well as teaching English in school. During this period, Abdullah was active in politics as the chair of the socialist Gerindo movement in Binjai and taught political courses on socialist thoughts. His political activism led to his three-months imprisonment by the Dutch East Indies authorities for organizing an unauthorized meeting. A year later, in 1941 he was arrested by the British authorities along with other KMM leaders at the Changi Prison. Abdullah Kamil was released along with his colleagues on 16 February 1942, a day after the fall of Singapore to the Japanese military.

To discourage the revival of the KMM, the Japanese authorities provided the KMM leaders with employment opportunities. Abdullah was employed as an editor for Berita Malai Abdullah became a consultant for the International Institute for Cultural Relations as well as a member of the Board of Indonesian Association.

Diplomatic career Abdullah began his diplomatic career in 1948 as an information officer at the Indonesian office in Bangkok. The office was upgraded to a full embassy after the end of the Indonesian National Revolution, and Abdullah was accorded the diplomatic rank of second secretary. He continued to manage the embassy's information affairs until 1952, when he was recalled to the foreign ministry as head of the information section. He briefly served at the Indonesian high commisariat in the Hague with the diplomatic rank of first secretary from October 1955 until his recall in June 1956.

From the Hague, Abdullah was sent to Kuala Lumpur consulate general as a consul in charge of information affairs, receiving his exequatur on 20 September 1956. Less than a year later, on 1 August 1957

Between 1960 and 1965, Abdullah returned to the foreign ministry for domestic posting, at times serving as the acting director for UN and international organizations. In 1961, he underwent military education at the Indonesian Army Command and General Staff College.

Ambassador to Yugoslavia On 8 February 1968, President Suharto issued a decree formally appointing Abdullah as ambassador to Yugoslavia. Upon receiving his credentials on 1 April, he presented his credentials to president Josip Broz Tito on 18 May. He was recalled after three years of service in 1971 and was immediately appointed as the director of international organizations. and led the delegation to the foreign ministers of Muslim countries conference in Benghazi in 1973.

Ambassador to Austria Abdullah was sworn in for his second ambassadorship to Austria on 18 January 1975 after receiving approval from the Austrian government in November 1974. Abdullah is also accredited to international organizations in Austria, such as the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, which he was accredited to since 21 March 1975, and the International Atomic Energy Agency. In July 1976, foreign minister Adam Malik appointed Abdullah as his special envoy to the fifth summit of the Non-Aligned Movement in Colombo, where he had talks with Malaysia's foreign minister Tengku Ahmad Rithauddeen Ismail.

Permanent representative to the United Nations Abdullah is accredited as Indonesia's representative to the United Nations on 10 April 1979. According to diplomat Perwitorini Wijono, Abdullah rejected the foreign department's secretary general directive to recruit fresh graduates to the permanent mission, as he felt they lack experience and knowledge. Abdullah's successor, Ali Alatas, who began his term in 1982, reverted his decision and began recruiting fresh graduates as attachés.

Special advisor to foreign minister After his service in the permanent mission, Abdullah became the foreign minister's special advisor. On 23 March 1983, Abdullah became the acting director general of politics, replacing Munawir Sjadzali who became the religion affairs minister. Although the formal handover was conducted several weeks later on 15 April, Abdullah had been accompanying foreign minister Mochtar Kusumaatmadja to the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting and the ASEAN-EEC dialogue in Bangkok since his appointment in March.

Personal life

Abdullah was married to Acharavarn, a Thai woman whom he met during his maiden assignment in Bangkok. The couple had a son and three daughters. His third daughter, Halimah Agustina, was married to Bambang Trihatmodjo, the son of president Suharto.

Abdullah Kamil died due to cardiac arrest on 11 July 1991 at the Gatot Soebroto Army Hospital after receiving intensive treatment from the presidential medical team for forty days. Since 1983, Abdullah had been treated at various hospitals abroad for his complications. Abdullah's body was interred a day later at the Tanah Kusir cemetery.

Cultural contributions During the last decade of his life, Abdullah contributed to the development Minangkabau culture. He established the Genta Budaya foundation to support the promotion of Minangkabau culture and spent 750 million rupiah (US$ ) on the construction of a building to support the foundation. Abdullah, which was slated to inaugurate the building, died several months before its completion.