Dutch War Crimes
Sep 9th, 2008, in History, Opinion, by LairedionLairedion on the Dutch state being sued over war crimes at Rawagede, West Java.
Dutch State sued by Indonesians
On Monday 8 September 2008 10 Indonesian survivors of Dutch post WWII violence have sued the Dutch State for the assassination of their family members during the First Police Action (Agresi Militer Belanda I) after WW II. They want financial compensation, explanations and recognition for their suffering, as announced by their lawyer Mr. Gerrit Jan Pulles.
According to Pulles it is for the first time Indonesian victims of the fighting of 1945-1949 hold the Dutch State responsible. Mr. Pulles acts on behalf of ten villagers from Rawagede, West Java. They survived the bloody attack of the Dutch Army on 9 December 1947. According to the Dutch Honorary Debts Foundation, 431 (almost all the male) villagers were slaughtered. According to the Dutch Indulgence Note from 1969 150 people were killed. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced they will study the matter.
Well into 2008, 63 years after Indonesian independence, the Dutch, due to their stubbornness, ignorance and patronizing behaviour, are being haunted again by their crimes in the aftermath of Soekarno’s declaration of 17-8-45 and they rightfully should. Only just being liberated themselves from the Germans the Dutch wanted to continue the situation as it was before WWII and re-occupy their former territories now being declared independent and bearing the name Republik Indonesia.
Rawagede is one of the most notorious events in the history of Indonesian struggle for independence against the Dutch. On 9 December 1947 Dutch forces raided the West Javanese village to look for weapons and Indonesian freedom fighter Lukas Kustario who often spent time in Rawagede. They didn’t find any weapons neither did they find Lukas.
Survivors of Rawagede remember (full version of documentary linked in footnotes).
Apparently dissatisfied by their lack of success the Dutch commander directed all males to be separated from the rest in order to execute all of them, despite the fact there were some young males of 11-12 years old among them. Indonesian leaders reported the mass killing to local UN officials. The UN made an inquiry and concluded the killings were “deliberate” and “ruthless” but failed to prosecute and to have the Dutch punished and sentenced for these obvious crimes against humanity and this is still the situation today!
Last month Pulles (of mixed Indo-Dutch blood like yours truly) visited Rawagede together with people from the “Yayasan Komite Utang Kehormatan Belanda (KUKB)”, including its chairman Jeffry Pondaag, to collect witness accounts and endorsements from survivors in order to hold the Dutch State responsible.
A protest outside Dutch embassy in Jakarta.
While financial compensation is sought after it must be noted that most survivors only want the Dutch State to take moral responsibility and offer official apologies to the Indonesian people. Furthermore they do not seek punishments for the people directly involved in the killings. One survivor just wants the Dutch not to forget what has happened.
At the same time more and more Dutch veterans, haunted by the crimes and horror they experienced, are supportive of the Rawagede survivors’ claim. It is very disappointing to see that of all the Dutch political parties only the left-wing Socialist Party support the claim while the conservative-liberal VVD on behalf of MP spokesman Hans van Baalen even denied Dutch crimes against humanity in Indonesia! 63 years of ignorance and subtle racism have been persistent obviously, a disease many Western nations still suffer from.
It is because of this the KUKB has been founded by Netherlands-based Indonesian Jeffy Pondaag in 2005. They demand the Dutch government:
- to recognize 17 August 1945 as the day Indonesia became independent.
- to offer apologies to the Indonesian people for its colonialism, slavery, gross violations of human rights and crimes against humanity.
The foundation is a non-subsidized independent foundation with branches in the Netherlands and Indonesia and would be happy to accept any donations. They look after the interests of civilian victims who suffered from violence and war crimes committed by Dutch military. Their website have more information on the Rawagede story and on the infamous Raymond Westerling who murdered thousands of innocent people in South Sulawesi.
Back in 2005 Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda, obviously speaking on behalf of the Indonesian people, made it clear Indonesia is not seeking apologies or compensation from the Dutch. This reaction came after then Dutch Foreign Minister Ben Bot (who is Jakarta-born) expressed regrets and morally accepted the de-facto independence of Indonesia on 17-8-45 while he was representing the Dutch government during the festivities of Independence Day on 17-8-2005. Bot’s remarks were widely criticized in the Dutch media for being insufficient and way too short of a full apology and recognition of 17-8-45.
Of course it is irrelevant if Indonesia is demanding apologies or compensation or not. It should come from the Dutch themselves but their stubbornness and ignorance are still hindering them anno 2008. The Netherlands have constantly refused to express a full apology and recognition but were always quick to raise their finger and lecture its former colony on alleged human rights violations during the Soeharto reign.
I’m fully supportive of the Rawagede villagers and any future similar cases, seeking for Dutch responsibility, recognition and financial compensation. Evidence is clear, witnesses and next of kin are still alive, we’re dealing with war crimes, gross violation of human rights and crimes against humanity and here lies an opportunity for the Dutch to finally deal with its own past by recognizing and helping those poor villagers.
Sources and links:
News article from Dutch daily “Parool” (Dutch) : Indonesiërs klagen Nederlandse staat aan
Website of KUKB (Dutch and Indonesian): Yayasan Komite Utang Kehormatan Belanda
1948 (English) Word document approx. 7.8 MB: Report of the Rawahgedeh observation team
Broadcast of Dutch news show Netwerk with topic on this story: Netwerk 8 September 2008 (witness accounts from survivors (Dutch-Indonesian-Sundanese). Streaming media, requires broadband internet access.
827 Comments on “Dutch War Crimes”
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Achmad Sudarsono says:
Mr. Schmerlys,
I thank you. Even though we disagree about the just rewards for the White Man, I am happy to be joined in Seksi Friendship with you through this website.
At the same time, I wouldn’t lightly dismiss my scholarly insights about aliens and old temples here.
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Burung Koel says:
@ schmerly
I’ve got the British Raj, the VOC, King Leopold of Belgium and America’s Manifest Destiny on the line.
They want their policies back. Thanks.
But seriously, if you want a good grounding on what makes up ‘civilisations’ and ‘progress’, pick up a copy of Jared Diamond’s Guns, Germs and Steel. You will find that technological progress is a result of natural endowments of geography, climate and resources, and does not depend on culture or race. If you are from the West, and have benefitted from that, it’s because of dumb luck, not because of any inherent superiority in yourself, or the inferiority of others.
Race is meaningless anyway. What ‘race’ is Tiger Woods? If we were dogs, we’d all be the same breed.
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Achmad, don’t steal your own thunder, and you ought to check that new email address of yours because I replied to you, I’ll publish it soon, can’t publish anything now because am moving site to different server and it’s a nightmarish job and…
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schmerly says:
Burung Koel, what on earth are you on about “I’ve got the British Raj, the VOC, King Leopold of Belgium and America’s Manifest Destiny on the line” In English this means on the phone!!
Stop being so envious just because you don’t come from the right geographical location, and by the way luck doesn’t come into the equation, maybe the location did help to a certain extent, but also it was sheer hard work that advanced these people, which people of your ilk seem rather adverse to.
You’re the one that mentioned “race” not me, the “race” theme was started by that poor xenophobic Achmad Sudarsono “The White Man must pay for what he has done” Etc.
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Seksi Mr. Patoengs,
Sometimes the pressure of being Indonesia’s leading Ukulele player and poet is too much to bear and I become the temperamental artist. Aduh !
Also, the address should have been: achmadsudarsono@yahoo.com
You can take the CIA post off if you want.
Good luck with the move and Stay Seksi.
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Cukurungan says:
You’re the one that mentioned “race” not me, the “race” theme was started by that poor xenophobic Achmad Sudarsono “The White Man must pay for what he has done” Etc.
In case you do not know, I tell you that Pak Achmad Sudarsono is the white man who converts to become the brown man because he could not bear anymore to carry legacy the humiliation white man who created mess around the globe. If you want to follow his path just tell me, I have an oven chamber to convert you to become another human species
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“Sometimes the pressure of being Indonesia’s leading Ukulele player and poet” how’s that for self delusion!! oops! forgot to mention leading UFO chaser LoL!!
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Cukurungan. Seeing that your English communication skills are so poor, I feel I cannot continue this topic with you, as most of the time I don’t understand what you’re trying to convey, and I neither have the time nor inclination to try and understand.
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Aluang Anak Bayang says:
@ schmerly
“Sometimes the pressure of being Indonesia’s leading Ukulele player and poet” how’s that for self delusion!! oops! forgot to mention leading UFO chaser LoL!!
800 years ago on his dead bed, a Mojopahit prince, Ratu Joyoboyo foretold the coming of metal ships that sail in the air and chariots that run without horses; typical whiteys of his era would have ROFL.
My dear friend Schmerly, laugh as loud as you can. UFO technology is for the Javanese and maybe whitey future generations 800 years later.
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@ schmerly
Burung Koel, what on earth are you on about “I’ve got the British Raj, the VOC, King Leopold of Belgium and America’s Manifest Destiny on the line” In English this means on the phone!!
Humour isn’t as funny once you try and explain it. ‘But seriously…’
Stop being so envious just because you don’t come from the right geographical location, and by the way luck doesn’t come into the equation, maybe the location did help to a certain extent, but also it was sheer hard work that advanced these people, which people of your ilk seem rather adverse to.
On the internet, no-one knows where you come from. In fact, I come from a developed country, one with a more enlightened education system than yours, apparently. Read Diamond’s book and you might learn something. As far as hard work is concerned, I have never seen anyone work harder that women in rural households in poor countries. Would you like to do back-breaking work for 18 hours a day just to put food on your family’s table? So the reason they are poor must be because they don’t work hard enough, eh?
You’re the one that mentioned “race” not me, the “race” theme was started by that poor xenophobic Achmad Sudarsono “The White Man must pay for what he has done” Etc.
My comment on ‘race’ was related to the Diamond book, and concerns anyone on this thread, or indeed this site, who uses ideas like ‘race’ or ‘culture’ to reinforce their world view. Unfortunately the 19th Century Social Darwinist ideas that you expressed are often used by real bigots and racists to justify their own prejudices. It’s called ‘dog whistling’, in case you didn’t know.
As far as trying to explain things to you, my dear schmerly, I’m afraid I’m not as clever or as subtle as Mas Achmad.
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Cukurungan. Seeing that your English communication skills are so poor, I feel I cannot continue this topic with you, as most of the time I don’t understand what you’re trying to convey, and I neither have the time nor inclination to try and understand.
My English is your problem not my problem because in the future there is not only avaiblale English (US) and English (British) but there will be English (Brownman).
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AAB.. “UFO technology is for the Javanese and maybe whitey future generations 800 years later” well beam me up Scotty!!
Did you know in future there will be English (Brownman) that’s a turn up for the books, speaking a KAFFIR’S language! but I suppose that’s a step in the right direction.
BK.. “I’m afraid I’m not as clever or as subtle as Mas Achmad” yeah about as subtle as a pigs fart!
“I come from a developed country, one with a more enlightened education system than yours” yes maybe, but you don’t seem to have taken advantage of this “enlightened education system”
“So the reason they are poor must be because they don’t work hard enough, eh?”or maybe their in the wrong geographical location?
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Sigh.
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Oigal says:
Aren’t Japanese and Korea and Chinese also KAFIR? Or are they less KAFIR because their skin is yellow?
Come on ET, surely you have picked up on the “Animal Farm” hyprocrisy that lives and breathes within our religious nutters here (Although the quote the book brings to mind, “All pigs are equal but some are more equal than others” is ironic in the extreme). You only have to read the papers to see that not only are some races more equal than others in the zombies eyes, why even Indonesians and dare we say it Muslims are more equal than others.
Witness the sheer lack of outrage over their poor homeless brothers in Sby, or the endless line of abused women at the hands of the desert dwellers. Of course, could be worse you could be dafur Muslim..way to black to be considered a cause in this nation.
Still gotta love the mobs here, a holy (or is that holy crap) version of Lenin’s useful idiots. Not forgetting the sheer experience we have here watching mankind’s evolution going into reverse as the enemies of reason dictate terms to moribund majority.
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Hi Oigsy (Maybe Oinksy, with the pig reference),
Have to say, some might be more equal than others, but some countries might be worse than others.
You’re pretty light on Australia.
All – here’s a recent YouTube clip of an aboriginal Australian man called “Chappy” performing “Rivers of Babylon” at the behest of an Australian policeman.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkmnDScYEdo
The video doesn’t highlight the role of the police, but a Google search would. Oigal, no doubt, will argue the clip:
* Has been taken out of context and the cops are just hard-working, dinkum Aussie blokes, who want to pay the bills and take care of their kids.
* Australia is better than most countries in the region.
Overall, I think a word-search and thematic study of Oigal’s blog and statements would show:
– Repeated references to bribery, corruption, brutality and bastardry associated with Indonesia in general and males in particular.
– Repeated references to honesty, hard work, and heroism, when referring to Australia (with the exception of bureaucrats or the Labor party, who are “bastards”).
Make of it what you want, I’m just making an observation. I’m also predicting Oigal will:
Accuse me of either/or/and: political correctness, Muslim chauvinism, Indonesian nationalism, pretending to be something I’m not, being a “sarung-wearing dyke,” having benefited from public education/not having worked for a living.
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Yes BK.. nice answer “sigh” that must have taken a lot of thought, well for you anyway.
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Yes BK.. nice answer “sigh” that must have taken a lot of thought, well for you anyway.
@ schmerly
The internet hasn’t been around long enough to have too many old rules, but one of them is “Do Not Feed The Trolls”. You, my friend, are a snarky little troll and the best course of action is to ignore you. So far on this site you have offered inconsistent and ridiculous opinions, ignored advice, indulged in personal insults and bullied people. Things you would not dream of doing in real life, but for some reason you think are acceptable on the internet and in these forums.
However your biggest mistake has been in not realising when you are being made fun of. This is because you seem to lack an understanding of both irony and sarcasm. I have tried to nudge you gently, but you still haven’t been able to get it. Please go and re-read some of your threads, carefully and slowly, to see where you are being wound up. Many people here like stirring things up with posters like you, and it can be very amusing indeed. But with you, I just found it frustrating – hence my *sigh* of exasperation.
One of the reasons I haven’t picked on you, but tried to educate you, is that while you can pretend to be whoever you like on the internet, I suspect that you are in fact an immature, low attention span 12 year old boy who is using his Daddy’s computer. That’s why you don’t get this stuff. Whoosh! Hear that? It’s going over your head.
If you’re in fact an adult, then God help us.
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BK.. I really don’t need your so called advice, and as far as you trying to educate anybody, I suggest you get yourself an education first instead of trying to palm your drivel off on others, get it?
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Res Ipsa Loquitur.
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How cleaver you are, I can speak for myself OK.
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ET says:
Cukurungan said
In case you do not know, I tell you that Pak Achmad Sudarsono is the white man who converts to become the brown man because he could not bear anymore to carry legacy the humiliation white man who created mess around the globe.
If White is so bad then tell us why your brown sisters are buying skin-whiteners by the tons.
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Yes ET and having nose implants to try and look more like a bule.
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@ ET
If White is so bad then tell us why your brown sisters are buying skin-whiteners by the tons.
It is the same argument as why bule sisters wanted tan skin.
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If White is so bad then tell us why your brown sisters are buying skin-whiteners by the tons.
Of course nothing wrong with white because it is the same like other color but when white combine with man hence the problem start to emerge.
FYI, I also love the white pussy as I love the brown pussy.
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You’re pretty light on Australia.
Yea but then again I think this site is called Indonesian Matters although if you need some websites that deal with Australian issues I am sure you can google and find a virtual smorgasboard. Although you may find you will have to lift your intellectual game, I am the first to admit more than once I have wandered into one the left wing, black arm band history of Australia and left bruised and bloodied, better class of troll there I think.
Funny I thought my posts (at least those of which you are alluding to and thanks for the plug) dealt with religious nutters and idiots rather than any particular race although granted tis rich fields in which we plow in Indonesiaat the moment. The loony God Appointed seem to be in the acendency.
However I will admit to some bias as it is really it difficult to find some local heros to promote but it seems that is just not me but the even the recent media. I am sure they are out there perhaps you can provide something simple to help me out. Like a politcian who should be running for president who has a record of high principles and ethical behaviour. I confess it may be my own shoddy research but a person like yourself (a legend in his own lunchbox) may be able to provide someone worth looking into.
At the risk of being caught out..I do have a lot of time for the Taxation Minister (anyone who tries to stand up the Bakries can’t be all bad) and I will be watching Pertamina’s fortunes over the next year or so..(I wonder if there is anything to the fact, they are both women?)
Now our sarong wearing dyke, can we get back to the topic and stop teasing S?
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The internet hasn’t been around long enough to have too many old rules, but one of them is “Do Not Feed The Trolls”.
Oh I don’t know some trolls can be fun..Assmad for instance, despite the sarong and never having worked a day in his life is reasonably well read and articulate. His habit of trading on real grief and mayhem for the sake of provoking some will ensure rabbit punch to throat should we ever meet but never the less he is mildy entertaining once you figure out its rather pathetic baiting (i confess it get me a couple of times at first). At least his formal references although usually out context or extermely selective are accurate and do at times give pause for thought
At the other end of the scale we have PN, a troll with such appalling knowledge of geography, history and science really brings nothing to debate except long loading web pages.
Then we have our god bothering trolls..they are just plain fun to tease (brings back memories of burning ants with a m/glass), still enemies of reason can bring joy if treated with contempt.
One should not forget Ross..this is the closest thing most rational people will get to a mystical experience..its like channelling J. Edjar Hoover..brief moments of lucidity bracketed by paraniod delusion rantings.
This is fun but off topic ..so..see ya
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Pak Oigal Yth,
Well, yes, IM, but since the end of the Cold War, the boundary between nation-state and issue has become increasingly blurred. I think it’s fair to say your sense of outrage has come from a comparison of the situation here in Indonesia to social and justice outcomes you are used to in Australia.
It’s really just a matter of making the yardstick explicit and then discussing if it’s a fair yardstick.
I think not.
But I’m just a poet, Dandgut singer, and Ukulele player. So what would I know.
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@ AAB
It is the same argument as why bule sisters wanted tan skin.
Could this be the way out of racism? It would be nice to have the sisters’ – bule and brown – opinion on this one. But where are they when you need them?
Probably gone shopping and spending our money.
@ Cukurungan
FYI, I also love the white pussy as I love the brown pussy.
I’m sure you do, as long as it’s a smelly one.
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@ Cukurungan. so you love white pussy, yea in your dreams.
Comment on “Dutch War Crimes”.
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AS. between playing the Ukulele (by the way learn how to spell it first) writing poetry and your aliens, I think you’ve totally lost the plot! so take my advice old son and go and see a doctor, I think you may have a personality disorder, probably from all the brainwashing you’ve had.