Damaged Majapahit Statues Need Preservation

Kediri, E Java (ANTARA) - Many damaged ancient statues of Majapahit kingdom in Semen village, Kediri district, East Java province, have to be preserved, a local official has said. Trowulan Ancient Heritage Conservation Center (BP3) spokesman Aris Soviani said here on Monday that the Kediri district administration should move the broken statues to a safer area. "In a bid to preserve the statues that have been damaged by irresponsible people in Semen village, Kediri district administration should move them to a safer area," Aris said. He expressed concern about the vandalism committed by irresponsible people on the ancient statues of Majapahit kingdom, although the village and district administration officials have promised to keep and preserve them. But he added that the local government has not moved the broken statues from their original site in Semen village. "We are waiting for an official letter from Kediri district government if it wants the statues to be kept Trowulan Ancient Heritage Conservation Center. But I think it is much better if the statues remain where they came from," Aris said. Meanwhile, Kediri district administration spokesman Edhi Purwanto admitted that the local government has yet to act much on the advice of BP3 to relocate the broken statues. It was because the local government did not have a museum to keep the broken statues. "The local government does not have a representative museum to store the broken statues, and moreover to moval of the statues is not an easy thing to do," Edhi said. According to him, the site of the statues in Semen village in Pagu sub-district, Kediri, has been damaged by irresponsible people, even the poles of the fence around it have been removed and thrown into a nearby river. Edhi said the site of the three statues, resembling two dragons and a Wisnu god, were found by two local villagers, Imam and Apas, at in their plantation.