[MSN] Expert accused of selling stolen Java artefacts denies wrongdoing

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Expert accused of selling stolen Java artefacts denies wrongdoing

18 décembre 2007
South China Morning Post

(c) 2007 South China Morning Post Publishers Limited, Hong Kong. All
rights reserved.

A prominent Dutch archaeological expert, accused by Indonesian police
of selling artefacts stolen from a Java museum, has denied doing
anything wrong and says the statues were purchased from the region's
traditional ruler, the Sultan of Solo.

The denial by Hugo Kreijger, who is well known in Hong Kong and Asian
art circles, comes after police officially declared him a suspect in
the case last week. "We issued the arrest warrant on Friday. He is
charged with violating the Cultural Protection laws and falsifying
documents," central Java police spokesman Syahroni said.

He said letters certifying that the statues had been owned by the
sultan were fake.

Police allege Mr Kreijger conspired with a local artefacts broker,
Heru Suryanto, and staff at the Radya Pustaka Museum in Solo, to steal
the statues and sell them to a wealthy Indonesian businessman. Mr Heru
and three museum staff confessed to police that they removed the
statues, replacing them with fakes, and have been detained as
witnesses in the case.

Mr Kreijger, speaking by phone from Amsterdam, said he was shocked to
be accused of stealing the 4th century statues. He insists he bought
them legally from the impoverished Sultan of Solo as a consultant for
the property dealer Hashim Djojohadikusumo, who wants to build an
archaeological museum in Jakarta.

"I am flabbergasted. Why should I steal pieces from a museum to
exhibit them later in another public institute? This would be more
than extremely stupid," he said.

Mr Kreijger, a former Christie's consultant, said he had only advised
Mr Hashim to buy the five Hindu and Buddhist artefacts because the
Sultan of Solo wanted to sell a few pieces from his collection, and he
was convinced the sale was legal. He also says Mr Hashim was keen to
avoid having the objects sold to a foreign buyer and therefore leave
Indonesia.

"The king needed money and wanted to sell these five pieces. It's very
sad they have to sell, but they have become poor and don't have much
money," he said, saying he paid the ruler US$100,000 for the five
pieces.

Although the artefacts were kept in the Radya Pustaka Museum in Solo,
all the pieces in the museum belonged to the palace in Solo - known as
the kraton - not the government, Mr Kreijger said, suggesting the
legal basis for the case was not clear.

The kraton, via the kraton's dealer, Mr Heru, issued a letter, bearing
the sultan's seal, which Mr Kreijger is convinced was genuine. He said
that, as an arts dealer who had worked in the industry for more than
20 years, he could spot a copy.

"If indeed the documents are fake, I have been cheated by the
intermediary too," he said.

Mr Hashim's lawyer, Hermawan Pamungkas, said the police had yet to
question the kraton staff, let alone the sultan, to confirm whether
the sale was genuine.

Mr Heru's lawyer, Rusman Sakiri, has accused Mr Kreijger of pressuring
his client to fake the certification letters from the sultan,
according to Tempo magazine.

If the sultan's letters prove to be fake, both Mr Kreijger and Mr Heru
may face further legal action. Mr Hashim's lawyer says if the
artefacts were stolen from the kraton, his wealthy client would sue
either Mr Heru or Mr Kreijger.

"He should know as a former Christie's dealer that he cannot buy and
sell historic artefacts, except if he has permission from the
government," Mr Syahroni, the police spokesman, said. He said the
state heritage body had to approve the sale of any of Indonesia's
protected heritage.

But Mr Kreijger, a southeast Asian art expert who was written two
books on Cambodian and Nepali art, said that until this scandal
erupted he had been proud to work as Mr Hashim's dealer, helping him
buy Indonesian artefacts from all over the world and return them to
home soil.

"Holland for 400 years took objects out of Indonesia," he said.

"I feel that as a Dutchman I can help bring some pieces back to Indonesia."

Asked whether he would return to Indonesia to face the charges, Mr
Kreijger said he had just appointed a lawyer, and would "wait to see
what happens".

Indonesian police asked INTERPOL to help track down Mr Kreijger.

But he said he only received a summons to appear as a witness in the
case last Tuesday, a day before he was asked to appear in Indonesia.

He wondered why police had not called him in Amsterdam.

A police spokesman admitted last Wednesday that they had Mr Kreijger's
number but said it was up to police headquarters to decide whether to
call him or contact him via INTERPOL.