We met Beni Wahju during the First Asian Federation of Mining Association (AFMA) in Bangkok, Thailand in 1988. I believe Beni was one of the founders of AFMA. Beni was the head of delegates from Indonesia. Due to ethnic relations, our Filipino group tended to go along with the Indonesian Chamber of Mines and as well as the Malaysian group.

Beni was a very pleasant and cordial man to discuss with. He exuded the confidence of a close friend  even at first introduction. He felt like a brother to us. Even our Malaysian and Thailand delegation went together well with Beni. In fact he looked more like an ambassador always dressed elegantly in his coat and tie.In one of the subsequent meetings held and hosted by the Philippines Chamber of Mines, Beni and the Malaysian and Thais came with their wives. I also brought along my wife Yoly to guide and look after their wives while they went around Metro Manila like Central  Market where varieties of clothings, dresses, barong tagalogs are sold at bargain prices. We ate in local Filipino restaurants  where the tastes of local food were not strange to Beni and his very charming and amiable wife Soffie.

Beni and Soffie did the same courtesy to us when we attended the AFMA conference in 1995 in Jakarta ,Indonesia. We enjoyed the sights specially our wives who went around the city with Soffie acting as guide and big sister. My wife was then 7 months pregnant with our youngest son Gabriel.

During all our meetings and social gatherings I noticed Beni had a special heart for the Filipino group. In fact according to a story told to me by the former Director of the Philippine Mines Bureau, Mr. Edwin Domingo, whenever his group visited Indonesia on several occasions they were invited by Beni and Soffie to stay in their home in Jakarta.

We all have the same soft spot in our hearts for dear Beni, a colleague in the mining industry.

We will miss him…Atty.Deo Contreras