What Prabowo and the FBI Director Discussed in Kertanegara

President Prabowo Subianto and United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel discussed efforts to return Indonesian cultural artefacts that were illegally smuggled abroad. Indonesian Minister of Culture Fadli Zon said the two figures discussed the matter during a meeting at Prabowo’s private residence in Kertanegara, Jakarta, on Wednesday (22/7). “And also officially, he brought cultural artefacts resulting from cooperation between the Indonesian government, through the Ministry of Culture, and the FBI, namely the return of cultural objects and artefacts that were illegally smuggled to the United States. After conducting provenance research, the objects were then returned and brought directly by Mr Kash Patel to President Prabowo Subianto,” Fadli Zon stated in a press release on Thursday (23/7). Fadli Zon explained that the returned artefacts originate from Papua, specifically the cultural heritage of the Dani, Asmat, and Danau tribes in the Sentani Lake region. He noted that these objects hold significant historical and cultural value for Indonesia. “I think these are very valuable objects because this repatriation process is part of our effort to restore our cultural sovereignty,” he said. Fadli Zon also conveyed that cooperation between Indonesia and the FBI on the return of cultural objects has been ongoing. The FBI has previously assisted in returning various important Indonesian artefacts that were stolen, including bronze statues and artefacts from several cultural sites. He stated that the return of these cultural artefacts is part of the government’s commitment to restoring national cultural sovereignty while enriching public knowledge of the nation’s historical heritage. The artefacts will eventually be exhibited at the National Museum so that the wider public can enjoy and study them.