[MSN] Insdider theft. Indonesia. The lost artifacts

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The lost artifacts

Oscar-winning director Stephen Spielberg could have the next Indiana Jones movie revolve around the archaeologist's hunt for Indonesian artifacts missing from the country's museums.

Indonesia is home to thousands of precious statues dating back more than 10 centuries to Hindu and Buddhist kingdoms, but following the arrests of a museum curator and employee in the Central Java town of Surakarta for the theft of ancient statues, nobody knows for sure how many, or few, are left.

That a businessman has been linked to the theft further suggests that dozens or perhaps hundreds of pieces of our national heritage have been illegally sold to private individuals.

An investigation into the businessman, Hashim Djojohadikusumo, who has admitted to possessing the stolen items, should uncover how the protected statues, property of the state, came to decorate his residence, although he claims he retrieved the statues "to save" national assets.

It is looking more and more necessary to launch an expanded probe to trace international and national networks involved in the illegal trade in these statues.

It is no secret many centuries-old statues were removed from Indonesia and shipped abroad during the colonial period, and have been kept in overseas museums ever since. The same happened to classic paintings, many of which remain in leading European museums.

Nobody would have been aware of the theft of the statues in Surakarta had a former museum worker not revealed that fake statues had replaced original ones that had been sold to private collectors.

The government's plan to audit museums across the country deserves our full support, but we should be prepared to learn that large parts of the collections are counterfeit.

News of the events in Surakarta only serve to underline the almost complete lack of concern here for the nation's historical legacy. The stone statue of the goddess Durga Mahisa Suramardhini that has been left uncared for at the Bandung Zoo is just another example of this lack of care.

Perhaps it's our own fault when Malaysia lays claim to Indonesia's cultural heritage, since we aren't doing anything to protect it. Our absence of respect for the country's historical legacy will cost us more of our heritage, be it a statue or a traditional dance.

A quick glance at the country's museums, which are nearly empty every day, says a lot about our indifference toward national assets that serve as evidence of past civilizations. That the collections of the museums are not well maintained in general should also raise serious questions about the government's commitment to preserving the past.

The government has always allocated very little money from the state budget for the routine maintenance of the country's cultural heritage, instead relying on international donors. That so many foreign nationals devote their time and money to Indonesian culture, some have mastered classic dances or puppet show performances, is somewhat ironic.

The nation's general ignorance of its own cultural legacy is even more obvious at the many old buildings that have been converted into commercial premises, despite ordinances classifying them as protected assets.

Tough penalties against anyone involved in the illegal trade of ancient statues and other historical artifacts is necessary to protect our national heritage.

The case in Surakarta is likely just the tip of the iceberg. It will be difficult, however, to prosecute individuals found in the possession of protected historical artifacts, unless they confess to illegally obtaining these items.

A more workable effort would be to launch campaigns aimed at raising public awareness of the assets through education or festivals, as well as allocating the necessary funds to preserve the pieces.

This would involve a huge investment, but it would be worth it to restore our pride as the heirs of advanced ancient civilizations. It is not the responsibility of Indiana Jones to save our precious heritage. Rather, that's our job.