Art market construction plan faces strong opposition

Art market construction plan faces strong opposition

Tarko Sudiarno, The Jakarta Post, Magelang, Central Java

Strong pressure against a plan to build an art market near
Borobudur Temple in Central Java has finally made authorities
buckle, but not for good.

Central Java Governor Mardiyanto agreed to cancel the project
last month until an agreement with a wider group of concerned
parties was reached.

The planned Rp 48 billion project was first introduced by
former minister of tourism Joop Ave and then reintroduced by
Mardiyanto in an effort to manage the crowded commercial
activities around the world famous Buddhist temple.

PT Taman Wisata Candi Borobudur, Prambanan and Ratu Boko,
which has the license to manage tourism activities, as well as
street vendors in the area are considered to have violated zone
division regulations by operating in zones prohibited for such
activities.

For instance, PT Taman Wisata violated regulations when
hosting the launching of a new BMW product in the temple's
grounds. Meanwhile, street vendors have long been considered
annoying, insisting tourists buy their wares.

Under the plan, the Jagad Jawa Art Market (PSJJ) is designed
as a "shopping center" with 1,200 kiosks inside to accommodate
about 1,500 vendors. The mall-style, three-story building will
also provide information about Borobudur and various tourist
facilities for visitors.

"We plan to manage the flow of tourists in a way so they'll
visit the art market. In fact, the market is also designed to
accommodate those who do not want to climb the temple," said
Wiendu Nuryanti, chairwoman of the market's development team.

Governor Mardiyanto also tried to convince people that the
market was planned as an effort to raise the incomes of local
residents who, surprisingly, have the lowest income per capita in
Malang regency, despite the income generated by Borobudur.

"Jagad Jawa is designed for the benefit of local people. I do
hope no one will try to stop the planned project," Mardiyanto
said at a recent meeting with the protesting community in
Semarang.

Vendors, however, did not warmly respond to the plan,
believing less buyers would visit the market. They feared they
would not be able to compete with rich traders from outside
Borobudur in buying kiosks in the art market. Moreover, the
number of existing vendors exceeds the number of planned kiosks.

"In ordinary days, there are about 3,000 vendors and it
becomes 5,000 vendors during the holiday seasons. How can the art
market accommodate them with 1,500 kiosks?" asked Borobudur
vendor coordinator Priyono.

Rejection of the plan also came from the Association of
Indonesian Architects and heritage activists.

Tourist guide Arisworo Sutomo, also a writer of the Borobudur
Temple tourist book, feared the plan would decrease the temple's
sacred value. "The temple's design adopts the mandala concept,
meaning that the temple has to be free from big buildings within
a radius of five kilometers," said Arisworo.

Semarang-based architect Andi Siswanto said there was a need
to take aspects like natural aesthetics and spiritual energy into
consideration in any development around the heritage temple.

The Forum of Indonesian Young Architects (AMI) also rejected
the plan, announcing recently that more and more people had
joined in their calls. In its e-mail to mass media, Marco
Kusumawijaya of the forum said it had support from, among others,
Pia Alisyahbana of the Indonesian Heritage Conservation Network
(JPPI), writer Julia Suryakusuma, choreographer Sardono W. Kusumo
and legislator Alvin Lie.

"We even received a special message from poet Sitor
Situmorang. He said Borobudur Temple is a world masterpiece.
Showing respect to it was a must for a civilized nation. That's
why Indonesians have to protect it from uncivilized commercial
interests," Marco wrote, quoting the poet.

A source in the Study and Conservation Agency of Borobudur,
however, said the planned building would not destroy the temple
or its archaeological value. The square where the building would
be built was separated by a hill from the temple, making it
invisible from the temple.

The source even suggested constructing the development in the
form of small cottages instead of a mall-style building.

But it seems the controversy won't go away.

Governor Mardiyanto expressed his stance to familiarize the
plan's benefits to the community while taking in ideas from
various parties. He believed people were strongly against the
project because they were not well informed.

"The commitment to preserve Borobudur Temple cannot just end
up by leaving it alone as an antique that can only be watched and
enjoyed or seen as a dead monument," he said.