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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Oigal says:
what you think about indo’s dutch indonesians who fought in indonesia and didn’t get paided all those years from the dutch government
Perhaps then Indonesias should expect/demand better from their own countrymen then?
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andy says:
indo4life, many people criticise many countries including the ones they migrated to and if you are grown up and not ultra sensitive you will except that. In the case of Indonesia can you understand maybe the expats would only like to see Indonesia improve and become a better country? That won’t happen without positive criticism. Instead of crying like a baby and going in your shell, suck it up and roll up your sleeves. You will do your country more favours in the long run with more tourism, investment and positive comments from the general international community.
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FlyBye says:
In response to: purba negoro, September 16th, 2008 at 3:48 pm Jury still out.
https://indonesiamatters.com/2452/dutch-war-crimes/cp-2/#comment-115606“The Dutch did nothing but steal, pillage and extract- not even building one university, one hospital or even an agricultural bank for the natives.”
In your anger I think you have lost track of some of the truth Purba Negoro. How about The Bandung Institute of Technology? It was established by the Dutch as the “Technische Hoogeschool te Bandung” in 1920. In a 1991 study, the top 200 high school students in the national entrance examination indicated ITB as their first choice.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bandung_Institute_of_TechnologyOr the University of Indonesia? Established by the Dutch and with its roots going back to the establishment in 1848 of the school for Javanese Doctors.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_IndonesiaWilhelmus Zakaria Johannes was the first Indonesian medical doctor who learned radiology in Holland. The Indonesian government honored WZ Johannes as a National Hero of Indonesia.
http://www.spock.com/Wilhelmus-Zakaria-JohannesIn 1901 the Dutch adopted what they called the Ethical Policy, under which the colonial government had a duty to further the welfare of the Indonesian people in health and education. Although a failed policy, it set in motion the first steps toward the drive for independence.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_East_Indies
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_Ethical_Policy
I think that injustices have been committed, and I think that an official apology from the Dutch government should be forthcoming. Furthermore, I think that reparations are appropriate.
I also think that people should not forget the socio-historical perspective. Empires have always been build on conquest and exploitation of foreign lands all through history. Foreign invaders in search of wealth took often control of countries (or in this case an area, since Indonesia as a country did not exist at the time) that did not have the technological capabilities to defend themselves or even have the know-how on how to exploit their resources. Eventually the people learned from the invaders and threw them out, often through violent and bloody struggles, only to subjugate others in turn. Atrocities have been, and are still being committed all over the world in the pursuit of that endeavor. And although I do not want to defend any trespasser, the focus should not be on shaming, blaming and hating responsible parties, but on how to to learn from it and on preventing it from happening again, wherever it may be. After all there is only one way out, and that is the way forward!
All I can hope for is that the subjugation of the less powerful will someday be a thing of the past. But as it is people will always seek more wealth, even to the detriment of others and to the world they live in. No matter on what continent or by what ethnicity…
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devilkitty says:
The worst war “crime” by the Dutch that i cant forgive is their devide et impera politic. Before the european came.. all race (chinese, non chinese, indian, arabian) live side by side, after the Dutch occupied Indo they promoted race discrimination and disintegration.
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all race (chinese, non chinese, indian, arabian) live side by side, after the Dutch occupied Indo they promoted race discrimination and disintegration.
Back to the history books for you bad kitty…
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ah, i made mistake.. what i meant was before ALL European arrived and brought racism to Nusantara.
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Laugh..yup The Javanese played in this wonderful utopia with no slaves, servants or bonded serfs.. NOT
Still its always someone elses fault.
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The Javanese were feudal, but they were racist toward Chinese. Javanese and Chinese had good relation back then.. the Chinese spread Chinese culture and Islam religion to Indonesia, thats why we have Wayang, Wali Songo, and so on.
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they were NOT racist toward Chinese.. *grrrrr.. i typed to fast)=*
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so devilkitty, if you and your people know this why can’t the javanese think for themselves and stop being racist towards every race they live side by side with now?
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andy,
what is your specialization btw?
When the issues is about the relationship between non-chinese and chinese-descendant indonesians, you chip in, and the non-chinese indonesians are the bad ones.
When it’s about timor leste, you also demonizing indonesians.
While you are at it, you brought up the issue of papuan, urging them to separate.Now we’re talking about indonesian-dutch situation, you’re here. As usual, indonesians are bad.
What else, and oh I saw you in the female genital mutilation thread, with your silly question, which made want to say to you “mind your own fcking business”. devilkitty already said it was the decision of the hospital, maybe she was born with some special situation that requires that operation. nothing to do with islam, but you insist with the nagging question “is that necessary”.
I have no interest in debating with you at intelectual level, because it’s just a waste of time. I’ll keep tackling your feet until you get bored.
You sound like a fag btw (with the high-pitched voice, almost screaming all the time).
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I have no interest in debating with you at intelectual level, because it’s just a waste of time.
I don’t blame you, it’s a bit like Mr Bean tackling Mike Tyson isn’t it what with your inferior Indonesian primary school education. You’re just a joke and I have no doubt you would be gutless if you faced a bule in person. You are not a real man.
Btw spell intellectual for me again?
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@Andy :
Looks like Dutch’ divide et impera for 360 years still leave marks in our people doesnt it ?
As for me im not racist toward Chinese and i dont treat my Chinese classmates different because of their race, i hope for all “Pribumi” to do the same… people should remember that the Chinese stepped their feet into Nusantara not to colonialize and force their beliefs (Budhism in 5th century, Islam in 16th century) to Javanese and other tribes in Nusantara, but their mission were to trade and build good relation with other Asian countries. At the same time they assimilated with local people along with their culture and religions. Unlike the British, Portuguesse, and Dutch with sole purpose for Gold, Glory & Gospel who came to Nusantara with cunning ways, weaponry, and manipulation to steal our resources, break the people’s unity with devide et impera (sadly we still use burgelijk wetboek as one of the source of private law), force Christianity, and enslaved the people with Tanam Paksa, thats why the Dutch, British,Portuguesse’re called Imperialist, Not the Chinese or Indian. Pribumi, Indian, Arabs, & Chinese were living together side by side until imperialists came for occupation.@Diego : meh.. he/she doesnt sound bule to me, but obviously a muslim hater and probably.. racist ? just a feeling.
and i have the feeling that he’s a bule’s ass’ licker too… most disgusting cliche in some of our society.
“You sound like a fag btw (with the high-pitched voice, almost screaming all the time).”
hiahahahahahaHAHAHAHHahAHHHA xDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
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@devilkitty
I also think that way about that fag. What an insecurity, hiding behing a “bule” false identity, repeatedly saying “my country” “in my country”, etc.
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I also think that way about that fag.
diego, just for all our sakes, if you are going to suggest i’m not who I am, tell us who you are…you are hiding behind a name different to your own to start with. Fag??What f*cking century are you living in? I will say as I have before that without the anonymity of the internet and the distance between us you are a coward plain and simple….You would never have the guts to face me personally and you are a disgrace to your people.
devilkitty, let’s not get off on the wrong foot ok….You are wrong about one thing which is Islam began in the Arabian peninsula and was forced upon those outside who have it as their main religion now. Iran is a classic example. Those who flee their tyrannical leaders often revert from Islam to another religion or no religion at all. Their indigenous religion Zoroatrianism was destroyed and only a small handful still practice and are executed if found out. So please stop this nonsense that everyone but bules lived peacefully side by side singing peace songs together. It is crap. I used Iran as an example as it is the closest to the Arab world. But the conquests continued from there until reaching your shores. There are many today who wish to impose a caliphate upon Asia (Philippines, Thailand, all of Indonesia etc). I wonder what all the Indonesians in Java centuries ago who practised Buddhism and Hinduism thought of Islam marching in and I also wonder what peaceful Muslims in Indonesia think of the creeping Arabian (sharia) practices being implemented across the country by the radicals. As for imperialism / colonialism, can you not see there were many advantages (education, infrastructure etc) that came from this small period in your history? The Dutch were not all bad for you regardless of what your history books may wish to teach. Look at your railways for example.
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@Diego : yes, that obvious right.. i noticed it too.
@Andy : The conquest ? Look at the nearest with us, Indonesia, Islam came from India & China in peace and not by forced, Islam become our religion because the Indian & Chinese people lived together with our people, not by force or organized missionary programs. Abrahamic religions become major religions because theyre interwined to each other and the mother of Monoteism. You are so crazy to compare me Tanam Paksa, racism, & discrimination for 360 Years, by telling me “The Dutch were not all bad coz we gave you Railways and Buildings” it’s like making sandhouses for all of your children while at home you beat the crap out of your adopted kids but not your own. Your hate campaign is clear like Diego pointed at you..
If you want to learn about domination of Abrahamic religions to some nations, dont forget to study the reason why Islam existed in Arab Jahiliyah society, why Judaism existed in slavery society in Egypt, and why Christianity existed in immoral society in Jerusalem.
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ET says:
The conquest ? Look at the nearest with us, Indonesia, Islam came from India & China in peace and not by forced, Islam become our religion because the Indian & Chinese people lived together with our people, not by force or organized missionary programs.
If islam was so peaceful then why was the Hindu Majapahit nobility together with their entire entourage and craftsmen forced by the Sultanate of Demak to leave Java for Bali in order to preserve their culture and religion?
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@ET : Power struggles of the kingdoms in Nusantara had started even before Islam existed and incase you dont know, the war between Majapahit and Demak was started because of Majapahit decided to be a traitor by cooperating with Portuguese Imperialist, it had nothing to do with Religion. Islam, Hindhu, and Budhism werent brought by imperialist with conquest mission (Gold, Glory, Gospel) from Portugal, Great Britain, or Dutch, but by traders and asian kingdoms with mission of trading & building good relationships.
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“dutch” xp ughh.. i meant “nederland”.
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@devilkitty
@ET : Power struggles of the kingdoms in Nusantara had started even before Islam existed and incase you dont know, the war between Majapahit and Demak was started because of Majapahit decided to be a traitor by cooperating with Portuguese Imperialist, it had nothing to do with Religion.
Is this what they teach you in your history lessons? Majapahit cooperating with Portuguese Imperialist. Maybe you should consult other sources too.
The last prince of the Srivijayan kingdom of Sumatra, after the loss to the Majapahit, converted to Islam in 1414, and founded the Sultanate of Malacca on the Straits of Malacca between Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula. As the Portuguese came to trade for spices, they began to ally with the Islamic powers, which did not help the Majapahit.
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@ET : The story’s not completed,.. Portuguese conquered Malaka, allied with Islam, then they doublecrossed Islam, and allied with Majapahit to fight Demak (Islam Kingdom which was led by Patih Unus), along with it they conquered Bintan (if im not mistaken). It’s called divide and conquer strategy (elementary school history lesson), this strategy was continued by portuguese’s rival that was the dutch, to all around kingdoms in Nusantara until they kingdoms’re all scattered and gone and after they’ve been eliminated, the dutch continued to devide natives versus indian, arab, chinese.
And the dutch were even worst establishing racist and discriminative occupation for over 3 centuries exploiting Indonesia resources and the people.
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@ devilkitty
And the dutch were even worst establishing racist and discriminative occupation for over 3 centuries exploiting Indonesia resources and the people.
Sure, thanks to the help and support of your kaum ningrat, without which they could have never pulled it off. Mind you, Holland is a small and far away country with limited resources and demography, how could they have managed to occupy and exploit the vastness of Indonesian resources and people for three centuries unless they had massive support from locals who benefitted from the occupation.
Your posts seem to reflect once again this ‘we poor Indonesians exploited by the big bad bule’ syndrome, pointing fingers at everyone else but ignoring the beam in your own eye. Or is this the Indonesian method of nation-building?As to your alleged alliance between Majapahit and the Portuguese I would appreciate to know your sources.
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well, some big bad bules were indeed terribly Bad and Racist toward other race a long time ago (and not just to us, but to indians, to black people, and so on) … read burgerlijk wetboek then youll see how racist they were, but that doesnt necessarily describe Today’s condition cos things’re changed, i dont hate bule.. infact i think pale skin is exotic 😀
About the history of Portuguese occupation in Nusantara i remember it was tought at elementary school to junior highschool, of course i dont remember the books author.. (you could browse Gramedia bookstore if you really want to know about it so bad :p). But if you want to believe your own opinion rather than our history lesson we received at school then it’s up to you.
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Burung Koel says:
But if you want to believe your own opinion rather than our history lesson we received at school then it’s up to you.
So do you think the old PSPB curriculum was accurate? All that stuff about who was behind G30S, for example?
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@Burung : No, thats innacurate from ive read in “Membongkar Sejarah”, and based on a documentary on MetroTV that interviewed people who were witnessing what happened that time. But it’s ridiculious to say that the Dutch werent being all Racist and discriminative when occupying our land cos you know the truth the dutch was indeed separating citizen rights and law based on Race, “White, Inlaander/Natives, and Eastern (Indian, Arab, Chinese)”
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Cukurungan says:
So do you think the old PSPB curriculum was accurate? All that stuff about who was behind G30S, for example?
Do not be so naive, everyone know that the history is always written buy the winner and we know exactly who behind G30S but at that time we need a brave leader to purge unwanted bunch of people (God denier) from our society. Pak Harto got what he wanted while we achieved what we wanted, it is win win solution and case is closed.
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@ devilkitty
About the history of Portuguese occupation in Nusantara i remember it was tought at elementary school to junior highschool, of course i dont remember the books author..
O, I see… 🙂
But if you want to believe your own opinion rather than our history lesson we received at school then it’s up to you.
My opinion? Unlike you I have no opinion about it. I’m just interested to know what happened, without any religious or nationalistic bias.
You see, devilkitty, we, bad and racist westerners, have tried to develop investigating minds that don’t like to be fooled by teachers with an agenda.
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@ET : Then find biography about Sultan Chairun Janil from Malaka that isnt being taught at schools, who he was, how and why Portuguese army killed him. If you want to believe Portuguese, Dutch, British were loving Imperialists who came to indonesia with mission of Peace & Love because of your Race then its fully your right, if you want to join KKK thats also none of my business.
I dont hate or despise bule, Indonesian, other asian, or african just because of their sin made in the past.. but if you want me to naively believe Portuguese, Dutch, British, Japanese imperialists were fun loving people who paid a visit to our land to spread World Peace then sorry i wont follow what you want us to believe. Once again, Bule & Japanese were our past enemy but era has changed and what’s in the past remain in the past.. I dont despise Bule or Japanese as much as you despise Indonesia and the people.
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i don’t get it why many western most of the time are talking bad about indonesia, coz they choose to live the life like an expat.
but on topic about the warcrimes, what you think about indo’s dutch indonesians who fought in indonesia and didn’t get paided all those years from the dutch government?