Emil and Atalia Bid Farewell to Eril

KOMPAS

The search for Emmeril Khan Mumtadz or Eril, the eldest son of the Governor of West Java Ridwan Kamil in the Aare River, Bern, Switzerland, was finally stopped.

Eight days after going missing on the Aare River in Bern, Switzerland, Emmeril Kahn Mumtadz, 23, was declared dead on Thursday (2/6/2022). Millions of people felt the grief of the family of West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil and his wife, Atalia Praratya, in saying goodbye their eldest child.

The Friday (3/6) afternoon prayer at the Great Mosque of Bandung had just ended. However, at least 5,000 members of the congregation remained. The invitation to perform the Ghaib prayer, a congregational funeral prayer performed if a body is not present, for Emmeril, who was familiarly called Eril, was solemnly welcomed. The members of the congregation stretched out their hands when the priest recited the prayer after the Ghaib.

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A part of the congregation acknowledged that they did not know Eril directly. However, humanity and solidarity led them to deliver a sincere prayer for Eril to be accepted by God.

“I don't know the deceased, but I feel the grief of the governor's family. Who is not sad to lose a loved one,” said Ari Kurniawan, 37, a resident of Bandung.

Andi Kurniawan, 30, another member of the congregation, was also reluctant to leave. Having never met the deceased, he learned a lot from the tragedy in Switzerland.

From social media and mass media, he was moved by the resilience of the parents who had lost their child and the solidarity of those who were looking for Eril.

According to him, the story of the search for Eril opened his eyes to the many good things that Indonesians could do. From social media and mass media, he was moved by the resilience of the parents who had lost their child and the solidarity of those who were looking for Eril.

“The deceased left many good impressions. Hopefully, everyone will give the best place for him," he said.

The Ghaib prayer was not only held at the Grand Mosque. Various mosques in West Java, from Bandung to Cirebon, prayed for Eril as well in response to an invitation from the West Java chapter of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI). A Ghaib prayer was held at the At-Taqwa Mosque in Cirebon City, after the Friday prayers. The congregation filled the ground floor and second floor of the mosque. Also present were the regional secretary of Cirebon, Agus Mulyadi, and the chair of the At-Taqwa

Center, Ahmad Yani. After the Ghaib, the congregation also prayed for Eril to get the best place in the sight of Allah.

"On behalf of the Cirebon city government and family, we would like to thank you for the prayer and support of the Cirebon people. We once again ask for prayers so that Eril is accepted by his Islamic faith and the family is given strength," said Agus, who is a relative of Atalia, Eril's mother.

KOMPAS

The search for Emmeril Khan Mumtadz or Eril, the eldest son of the Governor of West Java Ridwan Kamil in the Aare River, Bern, Switzerland, was finally stopped without finding a bright spot.

According to Agus, the event was held in accordance with an official letter from the West Java chapter of the MUI titled "An invitation to perform the Ghaib prayer", issued on Thursday. The invitation, which was signed by the chairman of the West Java chapter of the MUI, KH Rachmat Syafei, and the Secretary of the West Java chapter of the MUI, Rafani Achyar, among other things, stated that West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil had made it clear that his son was gone.

In the past week, the banks of the Aare River have attracted a lot of public attention. Last Thursday, Eril was reported missing when he was swept away by the current while swimming in the river, which originates in the Alps.

The Indonesian diaspora from Switzerland to Germany also helped in the search. There was a lot of love demonstrated.

Local authorities immediately began a search. In the afternoon until late at night, boats combed the river.

Surface drones and body heat detectors were flown. The Indonesian diaspora from Switzerland to Germany also helped in the search. There was a lot of love demonstrated.

Ridwan Kamil, or Emil, did not stop praying. Together with Atalia, he joined the search. They walked along the banks of the river until they threw themselves on its banks. The water temperature of some 13 degrees Celsius was not able to stem the longing of parents for their child. "Family is everything," said Emil on various occasions. In Switzerland, Emil proved it, even though it was clearly not easy to live it.

Prayers from various interfaith circles in the country and abroad also accompanied the search. People from President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to street singers in Bandung hoped for the best news from the Aare River.

Letting him go

However, the swift currents, the reflection of light in the water, the whirlpools at the bottom of the river and the cold temperatures made it difficult to search. Finally, the family let Eril go.

KOMPAS

On Tuesday (31/5/2022), a spokeswoman for the Bern Police, Switzerland, Magdalena Rast said that there were obstacles in the search for Ridwan Kamil's eldest son, Emmeril Khan Mumtadz or Eril.

"Mama will go home to Indonesia. Here on the incredibly beautiful and gorgeous Aare River, mama lets you go, so

that we can meet again, sooner or later. As the mayor [of Bern] said, ‘The city of Bern will forever be deeply connected to us.’ Mama's best wishes are in every sigh," said Atalia, who is often called Bu Cinta, on social media on Thursday.

The virtual world went into mourning. As of Friday afternoon, the message had been liked by 4.2 million users and hundreds of thousands of sympathetic comments had been posted.

Eril had been advocating for human rights and education through the West Java Bergerak Zillenial youth organization since May 2020.

Many of them dismissed false news, criticized unfounded predictions and made calls to improve digital literacy to respond to this incident.

Netizens empathized with Eril and his extended family. Many of them dismissed false news, criticized unfounded predictions and made calls to improve digital literacy to respond to this incident.

Even though he was declared dead, the search for Eril's body continued. On Friday, Emil's younger brother, Elpi Nazmuzzaman, who represented the family in Switzerland, continued the search.

While waiting for news from Switzerland, Emil and his family returned to Bandung and were scheduled to arrive on Saturday (4/6). The head of the Administrative Bureau

of the West Java Regional Secretariat, Wahyu Mijaya, said that on Saturday and Sunday, Emil would hold a family recitation before starting his activities on Monday (6/6).

KOMPAS/ABDULLAH FIKRI ASHRI

At-Taqwa Mosque congregation, Cirebon City, West Java, held a ghaib prayer for Emmeril Kahn Mumtadz or Eril, son of West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil, Friday (3/6/2022).

"We ask for the understanding of media colleagues and also the general public to give the Governor time," he said.

Time is the thing Emil and his family need right now. As Jay Neugeboren, the author from New York — which is also Eril's birthplace — said in the novel An Orphan's Tale, “There are no words for parents who have lost their child. How terrible the loss is."

This article was translated by Hyginus Hardoyo.