Christina Maria Rantetana

Christina Maria Rantetana
Member of People's Representative Council
In office
1 October 1997 – 30 September 2004
Personal details
Born(1955-07-24)24 July 1955
Tana Toraja, Sulawesi, Indonesia
Died31 July 2016(2016-07-31) (aged 61)
Jakarta, Indonesia
Political partyGerindra
Alma materUniversity of Indonesia
Tulane University
Military service
Allegiance Indonesia
Branch/service Indonesian Navy
Rank Rear Admiral

Christina Maria Rantetana (24 July 1955 – 31 July 2016) was an officer of the Indonesian Navy, where she was the first woman to hold a star rank.

Early life and career

Rantetana was born in the town of Makale in Tana Toraja Regency on 24 July 1955. After completing high school at a Catholic institution in 1974, she obtained a diploma in general care before joining the Indonesian military in 1979. She later obtained a bachelor's degree in public health from the University of Indonesia and a master's degree in the same subject from Tulane University.[1]

In the Navy, Rantetana became a representative of the military and police (TNI/Polri) faction in the People's Representative Council for two periods, 1997-1999 and 1999-2004. In the latter period, she was the faction's secretary.[1] On 1 November 2002, she was promoted to commodore (a one-star rank position), becoming the first woman to achieve that rank in the Indonesian Navy.[1]

She was further promoted to rear admiral in June 2013, when she was assigned to the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs as an expert on ideology and constitutional affairs.[2] The following month, she was reassigned to TNI headquarters, as she was approaching her retirement.[3]

Death

Rantetana died in a navy hospital in Jakarta on 31 July 2016.[4] She was buried in a military-accompanied traditional Toraja funeral, where her body was placed in a hollowed out cavity 30 meters up a cliff accompanied by salvo shots.[5][6]

Personal life

Christina Maria Rantetana and her family.

She had five children, and she took part in the construction of the Jesus Buntu Burake statue in Tana Toraja.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Jenderal Perempuan Penjaga Ideologi". Reformata (in Indonesian). 30 March 2012. Archived from the original on 18 May 2013. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
  2. ^ "17 Pati TNI Naik Pangkat". Poskota News (in Indonesian). 28 June 2013. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
  3. ^ "Puluhan Jenderal Pensiun, Mabes TNI Mutasi Perwira Tinggi". Tribunnews.com (in Indonesian). 11 July 2013. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
  4. ^ a b "Sumbangsih Christina Rantetana untuk Indonesia Sangat Besar". Berita Satu (in Indonesian). 1 August 2016. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
  5. ^ "Begini Suasana Pemakaman Laksda Christina di Buntu Tangki Toraja, Liang Setinggi 30 Meter". Tribun Timur (in Indonesian). 10 August 2016. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
  6. ^ Abdurrahman, Muhammad Nur (10 August 2016). "Christina, Wanita Jenderal Pertama TNI AL Dimakamkan secara Adat di Tana Toraja". detiknews (in Indonesian). Retrieved 13 October 2019.