Indonesia author, Nobel candidate Pramoedya dies

JAKARTA, Apr 30 (Reuters) Indonesia's best-known author and perennial Nobel candidate Pramoedya Ananta Toer died today, he family said.

Pramoedya, known for his anti-colonial novels and his long history of persecution by past regimes, had been suffering respiratory problems and chest pains in recent days and had refused to eat, national news agency Antara reported.

He died at his daughter's home in East Jakarta, one of his grandsons told Reuters. He was 81.

Born in Central Java in 1925, Pramoedya spent 14 years living on a desolate prison island called Buru under former autocrat Suharto because of his perceived links with communism.

During his time on the swampy, malaria-ridden island in eastern Indonesia, Pramoedya conceived his best-known quartet of novels called the Buru series.

He published the series, tracing the story of the early independence movement against the Dutch, after his release in 1979.

His books have been translated into nearly 40 languages.

Reuters SI DB1012