Killing our culture

Killing our culture

From Forum Keadilan

For us, the Sundanese, the historical site of Batutulis is not just a place where there is a slab of stone. It is history, part of our own identity.

We are really disappointed to learn from the media that excavations to find treasure had been conducted at this site. This effort, as reported in Kompas on Aug. 16, has caused damage to this area.

We are all the more disappointed because this treasure hunting has, more or less, been "sponsored" by Minister of Religious Affairs H. Said Agil Husin Al Munawar, especially when he said, as reported by Trans TV, that he had got a permit from the president.

In the last decade the government of the Republic of Indonesia helped destroy the Rancamaya historical site. Now that the Batutulis historical site has been tampered with, it is only natural that we, the Sundanese, interpret it as a systematic attempt to eliminate the identity of the Sundanese. Therefore, we are now lodging the strongest protest possible.

MAMAN GANTRA

Jakarta