Des Alwi

Who was Des Alwi?

Des Alwi Abubakar was an Indonesian historian, diplomat, writer and advocate of the Banda Islands. He was the adopted son of Mohammad Hatta, the first Vice President of Indonesia, whom he called "Oom Kacamata".

Alwi was born on November 17, 1927, on Banda Neira, the largest of the Banda Islands in the Moluccas. He first met Mohammad Hatta, as well as Indonesian intellectual Sutan Sjahrir, while Hatta was in internal exile on Banda Neira. Hatta adopted Alwi as his son.

Des Alwi died in Jakarta on November 12, 2010, at the age of 82.