Princely struggle for Cirebon throne

Princely struggle for Cirebon throne

Nana Rukmana, Cirebon, West Java

A power struggle between two brothers claiming to be the rightful
heir to the sultanate of Cirebon has intensified since the demise
of Sultan Kanoman XI Prince Haji Muhammad Djalaluddin, two years
ago. Both brothers are still at odds and steadfast in their
claims.

The conflict escalated following Prince Raja Muhammad
Emirudin's recent threat to remove every aristocratic title from
him if Prince Muhammad Saladin and his kin still deny he is the
legitimate Kanoman sultan.

The threat was the second to have been made after he
previously issued a warning letter to Saladin's family.

The contrast between the two is that Emirudin has far more
supporters, including the Magersari (palace circle), than
Saladin, who has received backing only from his direct siblings.

The warning was conveyed by Emirudin's spokesman Prince H.
Muhammad Nasirudin. "We shall be forced to strip them of their
titles because they have not recognized Prince Emirudin as the
legitimate Sultan Kanoman XII," said Nasirudin, who is chairman
of the Cirebon Kanoman Family Foundation (YFKKC).

Last Sunday, Emirudin, assisted by hundreds of Magersari
members who live in the palace grounds, threatened to expel
Saladin and his family from the palace.

The expulsion decision was enclosed in Sultan Kanoman XII's
(or Emirudin's) decree dated June 6, 2004, signed and announced
by Emirudin in front of a session attended by family and
Magersari members at the palace's Jinem Keraton Kanoman meeting
hall, Cirebon municipality, West Java.

Saladin and his family were expelled by Emirudin on the
grounds that they had tarnished the image of the palace by not
obeying rules or customs of the palace.

Emirudin was accompanied by Nasirudin, Patih Pangeran Raja
Muhammad Qodiran, also his own sibling, as well as hundreds of
palace members from various areas in Cirebon such as Guwa,
Rajagaluh, Jagapura and Mertapada, during the announcement.

The ruling once again indicated the intensifying rift in the
power struggle at the Kanoman palace, which has prevailed for
more than 18 months. The two heirs established themselves as
Sultan Kanoman XII in early March last year, and since then the
palace has had two sultans.

In the June 6 decree, Saladin, his mother Hj Suherni and the
rest of his family were ordered to vacate the palace prior to a
deadline of 1 p.m. on June 13.

"If Saladin and his family fail to leave the palace by the
specified deadline, they will be forcibly ejected as they will be
regarded as having ignored palace rulings," said Nasirudin,
representing Emirudin.

Nasirudin added that only Emirudin was the legitimate sultan
in Kanoman palace since March 6, 2003, and his command had to be
obeyed by all.

In the meantime, Saladin's family, represented by his sister
Ratu Mawar Kartina, objected to the expulsion, firmly reiterating
that her brother Saladin was the only legitimate Sultan Kanoman
XII. Ratu Mawar vowed that she and eight other family members
would not leave the palace, even if they had to sacrifice their
lives as a consequence.

Saladin and Emirudin are the sons of Sultan HM Djalaluddin,
but were born to different mothers. Emirudin bears the title,
Pangeran Raja, which indicates that he was born to a mother with
the title, Ratu, or from the aristocracy.

Saladin bears only the title, Pangeran, as his mother was a
commoner. But he deemed it proper for himself to become the
sultan as his father had designated him as the sultan in his
will.

A local cultural observer commented that the struggle for
power was fierce due to economic and political factors.

Politically, the sultanate, which ruled over West Java people
hundreds of years ago, still had wide influence in West Java
political life, said Akhmad Syubanudin Alwy.

Furthermore, whoever rules was entitled to the considerable
assets of the Kanoman sultanate. The assets include 1,020
hectares of land, worth Rp 1.5 trillion (US$ 158 million).