Villagers missing stone landmark

Theresia Sufa ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Bogor   |  Sat, 10/04/2008 11:35 AM  |  City

NO STONE UNTURNED: A six-ton turtle-shaped rock dating from the fourth-century Tarumanagara kingdom was removed from its site in the Haur Bentes forest preserve, West Java, on Sept. 24. The stone was later found at Tanjung Priok seaport, packed and ready to be shipped to a Korean collector. (JP/Special courtesy)

Two weeks after a six-ton ancient monument was taken illegally from Haur Bentes Forest Preserve, villagers living in the adjacent kampung were still filled with anxiety.

Locals call it batu kuya, turtle rock, or batu kuda, horse rock because of its shape. It stands 4 meters high with a diameter of 3 meters. Regency officials said it could be a monument dating from the fourth-century Sundanese kingdom called Tarumanagara.

Some locals said they feared the rock's absence would cause natural disasters in the village. Many believe the rock is more than just a natural stone.

"When the rock was pulled out from the river and taken away from here, people from Cisusuh could only cry inside. Our hearts refused to let the rock go and we missed it. But we didn't have any power to stop it," said Pulung, 60, a resident living near the river.

"For us, the rock, the river and everything in the Haur Bentes preserve is our life. We have to guard them," he said.

Bogor regency officials have reported the massive stone has been recovered. It was discovered already packed in a container at the Tanjung Priok port, North Jakarta, ready to be shipped out of the country.

Head of the culture division at the Bogor Tourism and Culture Agency, Boy Gyawarman, said the turtle rock had been illegally removed from the protected site.

"I was on a routine check at the site last week when I noticed the turtle rock had disappeared. I immediately reported it to the state's Ancient Relics Preservation Center. Interpol investigated which led to the discovery of the rock at Tanjung Priok port," he said on Monday.

The preservation center -- based in Serang, Banten -- is responsible for monitoring the condition of ancient artifacts in West Java and Banten provinces.

Local residents who declined to be identified said local leader Ade Rohandi had sold the stone to a Korean collector. Known by his honorific title, Jaro Ade, he was once village head and now serves as councilor in the Bogor regency council.

Locals said the rock removal process had been going on for about two months. As the rock was extracted, residents could only watch from the river banks. The rock was removed from the village Sept. 24.

They said Ade had promised the villagers mats and a new soccer field to relieve people's anxiety.

Village folklore preserves the story that decades ago their leaders received a visit from spirits of the rock, so the local landmark is endowed with supernatural meaning.

Ade had argued the rock was not located inside the protected forest but inside the village. He said all village leaders had signed an agreement to sell the rock to the collector in Korea.

"We removed the rock a long time ago. Why are people objecting now? It's just a natural rock. The collector was interested because he thought it was beautiful, had some aesthetic value," Ade said. "The rock was not sold. The collector just wanted to give people some compensation in a form of carpets, a soccer field and funds to build a mosque."

The rock remains at Tanjung Priok. Steps to return the rock have not yet been determined.

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