“That date has long been seen as the beginning of Indonesian independence,” said Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte in a debate on decolonization studies (1945-1950), as quoted from AD.nl, Thursday 15 June 2023.
As proof of recognition, PM Rutte gave an example, for example, the King of the Netherlands has sent a telegram congratulating the anniversary of independence to Indonesia on August 17 every year.
lly considered December 27, 1949 as the date of independence. Then the Netherlands surrendered sovereignty after a protracted war.
Indonesia itself sees August 17, 1945 as the founding date of the Republic. Sukarno then proclaimed independence, two days after the end of the Japanese occupation.
Regarding this recognition, PM Rutte will consult with the Indonesian president to see how this can be recognized and implemented together.
In 2005, the Netherlands had accepted 'in a political and moral sense' that Indonesia became independent in 1945. But that never came from full recognition. Rutte is now fulfilling this at the request of GroenLink MP Corinne Ellemeet.
Legal consequences
Jeffry Pondaag, chairman of the Dutch Debt Honorary Committee, has debated for years the recognition of Indonesia's independence date. "The Netherlands has no right to occupy and plunder a country that is 1800 kilometers away? The land belongs to other people,” said Pondaag.For Pondaag, it doesn't stop there and recognition must also have legal consequences. “This means that the Netherlands committed war crimes during the war for independence because it attacked the territory of another country. The term Dutch East Indies must also be removed from all books. And the 4.5 billion guilders that Indonesia paid to the Netherlands must be returned. With interest, it becomes 24 billion guilders (or around Rp. 175 trillion)," he said.
However, according to a spokesman for the prime minister, nothing will change legally. The Netherlands continued to exist legally until 1949 when the Netherlands surrendered power after a bloody war. Sovereignty was transferred in 1949. We cannot reverse it.”
Extreme violence
Tweede Kramer or the Dutch Parliament debated the independent inquiry into Indonesia's decolonization (1945-1950), which was published last year. The report indicated that the Dutch army used extreme structural and widespread violence in an attempt to regain control of its colonies after the Japanese occupation.The violence was tolerated by politicians and the army command. Crime is almost unpunished. Prime Minister Rutte made a "deep apology" to Indonesia immediately after the investigation was made public. Parliament has largely supported the report's conclusions and the apologies that have been offered.
Challenge conscience
However, there is concern among some that the impression that all military personnel serving at that time had committed war crimes was being created. About 5,000 veterans are still alive. Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren said they were highly valued and largely not to blame.Cabinet refuses to talk about war crimes, including GroenLinks, D66, SP and ChristenUnie. According to Rutte, war crimes in domestic conflicts have only been discussed since 1949. "We are constantly at odds, I'm afraid," he stressed.
There will also be no collective rehabilitation for conscientious objectors, although Ollongren admits that at the time conscientious objectors were treated 'harshly'. People who later refuse services because they know of the extreme violence used in Indonesia can receive rehabilitation. Minister Ollongren did not want to go any further. (Kevin Schreiber)
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