Breakthrough between Indonesia and Netherlands

Written by Ilona/for Blue Line News
“In this context and on behalf of the Dutch government, I apologize for the tragedy that took place in Rawagede on the 9th of December, 1947,” the Netherlands ambassador to Indonesia Tjeerd de Zwaan said.

The Dutch government formally apologized  to the families of victims of a 1947 massacre on Indonesia’s Java island, on the 64th anniversary of the executions by its colonial army. Dutch troops swooped into a village in the town of Rawagede during Indonesia’s fight for independence and executed men and boys as their families and neighbors looked on. Dutch officials say 150 people were killed, but a support group and the local community say the death toll was 431. In a landmark ruling, a Hague-based civil court in September found the Dutch state responsible for the executions and ruled in favour of seven widows and a survivor of the massacre who brought the case to court.

Zwaan repeated the apology in the Indonesian language, to the applause of hundreds of people attending the ceremony, some of whom broke down in tears.

Translated by Blue Line from múlt-kor.hu