Minister slammed for excavation

Theresia Sufa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Archeological Heritage Protection Office in Banten, West Java, condemned Minister of Religious Affairs Said Agiel Munawar on Thursday for allegedly digging up the Batutulis archeological site in the South Bogor district of Bogor.

Head of the office Endjat Djaenuderadjat said the minister broke Law No.5/1992 on the protection of national heritage and could be sentenced to 10 years in jail and fined a maximum of Rp 100 million.

The minister allegedly ordered the site to be excavated on Wednesday on the suggestion of a psychic.

"How come a minister doesn't think rationally? We regret that he listened to a psychic. It not only goes against logic, but it is also against the law. If a minister breaks the law, what would his subordinates do?" Endjat said.

He said that the excavation must be stopped and whoever was responsible for it should be prosecuted, no matter what his position.

The excavation of the Batutulis historical site, located across from the Batutulis Palace, was conducted between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. on Wednesday and was allegedly witnessed by Agiel.

But so far there are no reports of anything being found in the four-meter-long excavated area.

South Bogor regent Achmat Ajiji said the minister had told him that he came to Batutulis to accompany a resident from Ciputat who was hunting for hidden treasure. The minister was reported to have told local officials to inform the public that work was being done on the archeological site.

In order not to attract public attention, the area surrounding the archeological site was covered with cardboard.

Ajiji said he and the Batutulis subdistrict head were not informed beforehand about the excavation.

"We did not know about the plan, it was so sudden. But when they were about to dig up the area, we suggested that the minister first ask for permission from the Archeology Institution," he said.