Historic building razed

Historic building razed

From Tempo magazine

I hail from Tegal regency in Central Java. Although I have studied and worked in places outside of my birthplace, I am proud of my hometown, especially the development of community awareness. Tegal was the first place to declare war against collusion, corruption and nepotism in a concrete way. The people moved to reject a corrupt formal leadership.

Besides, Tegal is replete with history, both its history of heroism and the history of the region itself. Tegal regent Adipati Martoloyo was one of the people entrusted by Sultan Agung to attack Batavia. Anton Lukas and Audrey Kahin said the city played an important role in the Indonesian revolution.

In Slawi, the main city of Tegal regency, there are many ancient buildings from Dutch colonial times. Slawi was a city that grew due to the cultuurstelsel (compulsory planting system). There was the office of a Dutch sugar factory that was once the command headquarters of the Fourth Infantry Brigade of Slawi. Later the building was on loan to be used as the Tegal regent's office. During the war of independence the building was made into the headquarters of Dutch troops and numerous of our fighters were tortured and died there. Gen. Ahmad Yani once used this building as the headquarters of the Banteng Raiders.

On March 21, I was shocked to find that the building had been razed to the ground. I wonder who had the heart to do it. It is clear that he certainly does not know history and the significance of a building (not its physical aspects) for the personality of a city and its inhabitants.

I do not know to whom to complain. It is surprising that the members of the Tegal regency House of Representatives or other prominent figures did not utter a sound. What I fear is that next time I go to Tegal, the city will be no different from other cities. Barren with no meaning.

I hope to hear an explanation on the matter by the authorities.

NONO KUSNAN

Jakarta