National

Government Receives Archive Restoration Equipment Support from Japan
Thursday, 24 November, 2005 | 10:43 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:The Indonesian government received support in the form of restoration and archive conservation equipment, including a vacuum freeze dry chamber, digital camera scanners and computer software amounting to US$146 million from the Japanese government on Wednesday (23/11).

The equipment from Japan will be used to finish the restoration and conservation process of documents on land in Aceh that was hit by the tsunami disaster in December 2004.

Taufiq Effendi, the Minister for State Apparatus Empowerment, conveyed his gratitude to the Japanese government.

“There are only five such pieces of equipment in the world. Now, one is in Jakarta,” stated Effendi.

According to Joyo Winoto, Head of the National Land Board (BPN), this equipment can help in speeding up the return of Acehnese people’s rights regarding their land.

The process for the mapping of people’s land borders can be carried out quickly so that the BPN will soon issue land certificates required by members of the general public.

It is estimated that the process of restoring and conserving documents or archives will be finished by April 2007.

However, Winoto said regretted that the equipment must be returned and had not been given as a grant.

“This will cause difficulties and disrupt the handling of other documents and archives that have been affected by disaster,” stated Djoko Utomo, Head of the National Archives.
(Sunariah-Tempo News Room)