Condet: Cultural reserve
Condet: Cultural reserve
From Merdeka
Condet's plight surfaced recently after news emerged of Jakarta's interest to buy up the region. The administration plans to do it for preventive reasons, in order to maintain and conserve the Condet area as a cultural reserve in the area.
The plan has been received with mixed feelings by the people of Condet, to the extent that local public leaders felt it necessary to issue a press release on the subject.
It is clear that their fears are not wholly groundless, because Condet has been a protected cultural reserve since former governor Ali Sadikin's days. There was initially only sporadic development in the region, of which most appeared in the form of new houses occupied by nonindigenous people. However available land is now dwindling daily, which places Condet's name as a cultural reserve in disrepute.
One can imagine that if no preventive measures are taken over this matter, the cultural reserve could be obliterated from the face of Jakarta. Only its name would be left. That would not be the only thing, Condet has been the pride of Jakarta as a source for exotic fruits such as salak (snakeskin fruit) and dukuh, and the Betawi culture and customs. These too might vanish one day. Therefore, the city administration should pay serious attention to Condet's plight, it should provide proper protection and prevent invasions by nonindigenous people into the area, in order to uphold it as a cultural reserve.
Aside from that, attention should be given to complaints and fears from people who claim that certain parties have been intimidating the population, and who feel they are in no position to maintain the area for much longer as a cultural reserve.
There should be no need for more complaints from Condet people as they have been the victims of enough intimidation and their activities have been greatly undermined, while newcomers have been given a big welcome and provided with land, which is detrimental to the region's survival.
HERMAWAN KJ
Jakarta