Bali propose four sites for world heritage status<\/p>\n
Rita A. Widiadana, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar<\/p>\n
The provincial government of Bali is proposing four cultural
\nand natural sites for inclusion on the World Heritage list next
\nyear, following a furor over an earlier plan to include the
\nBesakih mother temple as a World Cultural Heritage site.<\/p>\n
The four selected sites are the Taman Ayun Temple and Water
\nPark in Mengwi; the Pakerisan river area and archaeological site
\nin Gianyar; the Jatiluwih Subak area (traditional Balinese
\nfarming and irrigation system) in Tabanan; and the Bali Barat
\nNational Park along the border between the regencies of Jembrana
\nand Buleleng in northwest Bali.<\/p>\n
In making the proposal on Monday to a visiting team of experts
\nfrom the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural
\nOrganization (UNESCO), Deputy Governor Alit Putra said the four
\nsites had a great deal of cultural and natural significance, and
\nneeded to be preserved for future generations.<\/p>\n
\"There has been some misunderstanding among the Balinese
\npeople over the term World Cultural Heritage, especially in
\nregard to the Besakih temple,\" Alit said.<\/p>\n
Late last year, State Minister for Culture and Tourism I Gede
\nArdika proposed the Besakih Hindu Temple in Karang Asem to be
\nregistered as a World Cultural Heritage site. Ardika's proposal
\nsparked controversy and heated social, religious and political
\ndebate in Bali.<\/p>\n
Many local leaders rejected the idea, viewing it as akin to
\nselling their temple to UNESCO. Others were concerned that they
\nwould no longer be allowed to pray at the grand temple, which
\nthey said belongs to all Balinese Hindus.<\/p>\n
\"If an important site or temple in Bali is listed as a World
\nHeritage site, it does not mean that the people of Bali will no
\nlonger be allowed to manage or visit the temple,\" explained Alit.<\/p>\n
Despite the opposition, the provincial government established
\na special team to select a number of cultural and natural sites
\nacross Bali worthy of preservation and conservation.<\/p>\n
Made Kusumawijaya, one of the team members, said the selected
\nsites would be proposed to the Paris-based World Heritage Center,
\na body under UNESCO which is in charge of protecting and
\nconserving cultural sites that have universal value.<\/p>\n
The center has 175 member countries including Indonesia, which
\nhas six cultural and natural listed with the World Heritage
\nCenter, including the Borobudur Buddhist Temple, the
\nLorojonggrang Prambanan Hindu Temple and the Sangiran
\narchaeological site, all in Central Java.<\/p>\n
Three national parks -- Ujung Kulon in Banten province, Komodo
\nNational Park in East Nusa Tenggara and Lorentz National Park in
\nPapua -- are also listed with the center.<\/p>\n
\"UNESCO would never interfere with the management or the usage
\nof the listed World Heritage sites, be they dead or living
\nmonuments,\" said Made, who is the head of the archaeological
\noffice overseeing Bali, West and East Nusa Tenggara.<\/p>\n
Ron Van Oers, a UNESCO expert, said an international team in
\nParis would review all of the selected sites in Bali and decide
\nwhether they would be listed with the center.<\/p>\n
\"There are some criteria including the state of authenticity,
\nwhich should be met by each country,\" he explained.<\/p>\n
Stephen Bond, another expert, added that UNESCO's team had
\nmade some preliminary evaluations of the four proposed sites and
\nhad made some suggestions to the Bali government.<\/p>\n
Bond said the final proposal from the provincial government
\nmust be comprehensive. All social, cultural and religious
\nelements, including Hindu cosmology, the concept of Tri Hita
\nKarana, must be explained to illustrate the interconnectedness
\nbetween each site and the surrounding people and environment.<\/p>\n
\"We have a lot of homework to do. The present proposals need
\nto be revised before they are sent next December,\" Made said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/bali-propose-four-sites-for-world-heritage-status-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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