Save Onrust Island from erosion, neglect: Historian

Save Onrust Island from erosion, neglect: Historian

JAKARTA (JP): An historian urged the municipality yesterday to
save Onrust Island in the Thousand Islands chain, north of
Jakarta, by declaring it a cultural conservation area.

"The new governor should act soon to prevent Onrust Island
from further destruction," Dirman Surachmat said, adding that a
quarter of the island had already been lost to erosion.

The 12-hectare Onrust (which means "always busy" in Dutch)
Island -- about 90 minutes by boat from Tanjung Priok Port -- has
a collection of historical ruins, including a fort from the Dutch
colonial era.

"There was a crisscrossing gubernatorial decree for land use
on Onrust Island which eventually led to the island's desertion
without any further assurances (about the island's
preservation)," Dirman, the former head of the Jakarta Museum and
Historical Agency, said.

Former governor Ali Sadikin issued a decree in 1972 declaring
Onrust Island a restricted area and a cultural conservation area.

But 10 years later, then governor Tjokropranolo changed the
decree on Onrust Island and declared it a tourist site. This
change was the beginning of the end for the island, Dirman said.

"As it was declared a tourist site, many people visited the
island, erected tents, had barbecues and explored the historical
sites, sometimes taking home rocks or other artifacts."

Poor supervision by city officials meant visitors' activities
went unnoticed, he said.

"People freely walked around historical sites and littered all
over the place. It's really in a shabby condition.

"I'm asking the governor to change the decree and return
Onrust's status to that of a cultural preservation area."

Onrust Island was used by Dutch merchants as a dock in 1615
before the arrival of Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie (VOC),
the Dutch trading company, which dominated the region for the 350
years.

Archeologist Chandrian Attahiyyat said Onrust has a very
important legacy because it was on this island that Dutch
colonialism in the East Indies began.

Onrust Island was once used, early this century, as a
quarantine center for Indonesians before and after the haj
pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.

The island has been neglected since Indonesia's independence
in 1945 but its destruction was completed in the 1960s when
people from Java came and "grabbed everything they could lay
their hands on", Chandrian said.

Since then Onrust has been "abandoned" and the ruins are so
poorly preserved that visitors would not understand its function
or historical significance without a clear explanation from
guides, Dirman said.

"But the island does not have enough guides or officials," he
said.

In order to find the best solution for the island's
preservation, an on-site symposium will be held from Oct. 27 to
Oct. 29.

Among the issues to be discussed are the historical, tourist,
archeological and future aspects of the island.

"We hope the symposium, held by the city's museum agency, will
come up with positive suggestions to be presented to the
municipality," Dirman said

But he objected to a suggestion to reconstruct the island
because it would damage the remaining ruins.

"The historical sites must be kept in their original form.
There is no need to build a new building to recreate an ancient
atmosphere. It would not be the same."

It would be better to build fences around the sites and
provide enough guides to serve the visitors, he said.

"I hope after the symposium, the governor would consider
saving this island." (07)