City to move 2,000 graves from Menteng Pulo
City to move 2,000 graves from Menteng Pulo
JAKARTA (JP): Part of the Menteng Pulo cemetery is to be
turned into a residential area, necessitating the removal of
about 2,000 graves, an official said yesterday.
The head of the city cemetery agency, Sjafril Zainuddin, said
that the number of graves in South Jakarta exceeds that
stipulated in recent city planning.
Sjafril said that according to the city plan for 1985-1995, a
5,961-square-meter section of what it currently the cemetery has
been earmarked for residential development.
He said that the rest of Menteng Pulo public cemetery will be
retained, including the grave yard of European soldiers killed
during World War II.
Sjafril said he did not know when the graves will be relocated
to other cemeteries.
He declined to confirm that apartment blocks will be built on
the cleared land.
Sjafril said that the graves which will be removed belong
mostly to Buddhists, Christians and Moslems.
"The agency will assist those relatives of the dead who intend
to move the graves to their home towns," he said.
Regarding the agency's program to beautify Jakarta's public
cemeteries, Sjafril said that the pilot project in Karet Bivak
cemetery would be completed in March next year.
The program is aimed at making cemeteries greener and more
attractive. Trees and flowers are to be planted to make the
cemeteries better water catchment areas.
Sjafril said most of relatives of people buried in the
cemeteries support the program. "They really like the idea
because it will make the graves look tidy," he said.
He said the city administration plans, in the first instance,
to renovate 10 cemeteries at the top of the priority list for the
project: Bivak, Karet Pasar Baru Barat, Kawi-Kawi Kramat Sentiong
in Central Jakarta; Utan Kayu, Penggilingan, Kober Jatinegara,
Cipinang Besar and Prumpung in East Jakarta; Petamburan in West
Jakarta; and Menteng Pulo in South Jakarta.
The city has issued a regulation setting out a standard design
for graves in Jakarta.
Sjafril said the standardization will help the office create
cemeteries which are as beautiful as gardens. (yns)