"The fossils are expected to arrive this year," he stated at a press conference in Jakarta on Thursday.
He explained that the fossils selected for repatriation are the identified specimens from a larger collection of around 30,000 pieces stored in the Netherlands. The Indonesian government has decided to prioritize the return of the identified items first.
Zon noted that the Naturalis Museum in Leiden had been exhibiting the collection with great care, using advanced holographic technology to enhance the collection presentation.
The prehistoric remains — including skeletal fragments of Homo erectus, also known as Java Man — will later be displayed at the Indonesian National Museum, with exhibition narratives tailored to Indonesia’s cultural and historical perspective.
"The plan is to display the fossils here, maybe in this very room. However, we will customize the narratives and presentation style," Zon explained.
Regarding logistics, he added that the Dutch government had expressed its willingness to arrange cargo flights to transport the fossils back to Indonesia, where they were originally discovered.
He praised this gesture as a respectful and diplomatic act, highlighting it as a sign of the Netherlands’ commitment to strengthening bilateral relations.
For Indonesia, he emphasized, the repatriation enriches its national prehistoric narratives and contributes to the healing of historical wounds from the colonial era.
Earlier, Zon received the official repatriation documents from the Dutch government at the Naturalis Museum, during President Prabowo Subianto’s state visit to the Netherlands in late September.
He affirmed that the return of the fossil collection underscores Indonesia’s status as one of the world’s oldest civilizations and demonstrates its strength in cultural diplomacy.
The repatriation marks the culmination of extensive research and negotiations carried out since early 2025 by a team from the Indonesian Ministry of Culture, working in coordination with the Dutch Colonial Collections Committee.
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Translator: Sinta A, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: M Razi Rahman
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