Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia is set to receive a new wave of repatriated cultural artifacts from the United States, including the historic Surocolo statue currently held by The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met).
Officials are calling it a turning point in international cultural restitution.
Culture Minister Fadli Zon announced Saturday that the repatriation marks a new chapter in Indonesia’s efforts to recover heritage objects taken abroad, with The Met proactively initiating the return of the bronze Surocolo statue after identifying it as a missing Indonesian artifact.
“This sets a precedent,” Fadli said. “We hope other major institutions will follow suit in returning objects that may have been acquired through questionable means. This is momentum we must build on.”
The Surocolo statue is one of six cultural objects slated for return, alongside bronze statues from the Srivijaya Kingdom era and terracotta pieces.
The move follows earlier returns, including six bronze statues and a sculpture handed over by the New York District Attorney.
The repatriation plan was discussed in Jakarta during a meeting between Minister Fadli and Indonesian Consul General in New York, Winanto Adi.
Winanto noted that The Met’s director had personally visited the Indonesian Consulate and traveled to Borobudur to trace the statue’s origins—an unprecedented gesture that opens the door to further cooperation.
“This is a huge opportunity for Indonesia,” Winanto said. “It signals a new dialogue on cultural accountability.”
The repatriation effort is part of Indonesia’s broader push to uphold cultural sovereignty and combat the illicit trade in antiquities.
U.S. authorities, including a New York task force formed a decade ago, have seized thousands of Southeast Asian artifacts—many of which are now being traced back to their countries of origin with the help of regional experts.
Indonesia is working to expand international cooperation with museums, law enforcement, and cultural institutions to accelerate the return of its heritage and prevent future smuggling.
