Save Onrust Island from erosion, neglect: Historian<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): An historian urged the municipality yesterday to
\nsave Onrust Island in the Thousand Islands chain, north of
\nJakarta, by declaring it a cultural conservation area.<\/p>\n
\"The new governor should act soon to prevent Onrust Island
\nfrom further destruction,\" Dirman Surachmat said, adding that a
\nquarter of the island had already been lost to erosion.<\/p>\n
The 12-hectare Onrust (which means \"always busy\" in Dutch)
\nIsland -- about 90 minutes by boat from Tanjung Priok Port -- has
\na collection of historical ruins, including a fort from the Dutch
\ncolonial era.<\/p>\n
\"There was a crisscrossing gubernatorial decree for land use
\non Onrust Island which eventually led to the island's desertion
\nwithout any further assurances (about the island's
\npreservation),\" Dirman, the former head of the Jakarta Museum and
\nHistorical Agency, said.<\/p>\n
Former governor Ali Sadikin issued a decree in 1972 declaring
\nOnrust Island a restricted area and a cultural conservation area.<\/p>\n
But 10 years later, then governor Tjokropranolo changed the
\ndecree on Onrust Island and declared it a tourist site. This
\nchange was the beginning of the end for the island, Dirman said.<\/p>\n
\"As it was declared a tourist site, many people visited the
\nisland, erected tents, had barbecues and explored the historical
\nsites, sometimes taking home rocks or other artifacts.\"<\/p>\n
Poor supervision by city officials meant visitors' activities
\nwent unnoticed, he said.<\/p>\n
\"People freely walked around historical sites and littered all
\nover the place. It's really in a shabby condition.<\/p>\n
\"I'm asking the governor to change the decree and return
\nOnrust's status to that of a cultural preservation area.\"<\/p>\n
Onrust Island was used by Dutch merchants as a dock in 1615
\nbefore the arrival of Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie (VOC),
\nthe Dutch trading company, which dominated the region for the 350
\nyears.<\/p>\n
Archeologist Chandrian Attahiyyat said Onrust has a very
\nimportant legacy because it was on this island that Dutch
\ncolonialism in the East Indies began.<\/p>\n
Onrust Island was once used, early this century, as a
\nquarantine center for Indonesians before and after the haj
\npilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n
The island has been neglected since Indonesia's independence
\nin 1945 but its destruction was completed in the 1960s when
\npeople from Java came and \"grabbed everything they could lay
\ntheir hands on\", Chandrian said.<\/p>\n
Since then Onrust has been \"abandoned\" and the ruins are so
\npoorly preserved that visitors would not understand its function
\nor historical significance without a clear explanation from
\nguides, Dirman said.<\/p>\n
\"But the island does not have enough guides or officials,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
In order to find the best solution for the island's
\npreservation, an on-site symposium will be held from Oct. 27 to
\nOct. 29.<\/p>\n
Among the issues to be discussed are the historical, tourist,
\narcheological and future aspects of the island.<\/p>\n
\"We hope the symposium, held by the city's museum agency, will
\ncome up with positive suggestions to be presented to the
\nmunicipality,\" Dirman said<\/p>\n
But he objected to a suggestion to reconstruct the island
\nbecause it would damage the remaining ruins.<\/p>\n
\"The historical sites must be kept in their original form.
\nThere is no need to build a new building to recreate an ancient
\natmosphere. It would not be the same.\"<\/p>\n
It would be better to build fences around the sites and
\nprovide enough guides to serve the visitors, he said.<\/p>\n
\"I hope after the symposium, the governor would consider
\nsaving this island.\" (07)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/save-onrust-island-from-erosion-neglect-historian-1447893297",
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