https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_H2yNkw3S8&feature=youtu.be
Author: Michael Passage
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Sunday, March 8th 2020 Demonstration at Dam Square, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
The Indo Community declared a “Symbolic war” on The State of The Netherlands.On Sunday, March 8, the “Day of the Revolt” took place on Dam Square in Amsterdam, The Netherlands on which the Indo Community symbolically declared war on the Dutch State. The manifestation drew attention to the lack of legal restoration for the thousands of war victims from the former Dutch East Indies.The date refers to 8 March 1942, the day on which the Royal Dutch East Indies Army (KNIL) surrendered to the Japanese occupiers. During the Japanese occupation of the colony, thousands of Dutch and Indo soldiers and civilians were killed and died of hunger, exhaustion and abuse. After the Japanese capitulation and subsequently the violent Bersiap period and colonial war, there was hardly any restoration of rights for the war victims.For example, the Dutch State invariably claimed that the payment obligation of the salaries of KNIL soldiers and civil servants over 3.5 years of Japanese occupation (the so-called backpay) has been transferred to the Indonesian Government. Making payment impossible. Archival research proves that this transfer never took place, the debt obligation remains with the Dutch State to this day.In addition, the lack of legal restoration concerns never paid bank and savings balances, insurance policies and foreign compensation. Marga Klompé, Minister of Social Work, admitted during a private maintenance in 1958 that “The Indo people are sacrificed for greater interests”. The current value of the series of financial files is at least € 36.5 billion. This was during the Roundtable Conference of 30September 2019 presented to Parliament Members by investigative journalist Griselda Molemans.Initiators Peggy Stein and Anton te Meij of the Indo Platform 2.0 / Meldpunt Indische Kwestie/Indo Issue emphasize that this so-called Indo Issue has now dragged on for 75 years. ”Thirty post-war cabinets have largely ignored the outstanding debt to the Indo Community. Every once in a while some money has been sprinkled to calm the minds, but the first generation of war victims have been treated in a downright outrageous way. ”“We stand up for them now. To finally give our grandparents and parents a voice. They themselves were unable to do this because, after arriving in the Netherlands, they were saddled with a large debt for their temporary stay in contract houses and silenced. It is impossible to celebrate 75 years of freedom if you do not recognize and settle the outstanding moral and legal debt to these war victims. ”The Day of the Uprising took place between 12.30H and 18.00H on Dam Square in Amsterdam. Speakers included Marion Bloem (writer and documentary maker), Frans Leidelmeijer (Art Collector), Sylvia Pessireron (Chairman of the Task Force Indo Legal Restoration), Michael Passage (Founder SOuthern CALifornia INDO), Griselda Molemans (Investigative Journalist) and some children and grandchildren of war victims.The closing performance was provided by the Moluccan band Massada. The band members hereby emphasize that their own KNIL fathers, loyal to the Dutch flag, struggled in vain for years to get their backpay paid out. -
Disney’s most favorite Indo in SoCal
San Diego based SoCal Indo Christiaan Verbeek for sure made Walt Disney proud if he was still alive, watch him in San Diego’s FOX 5 morning show !
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_LJ5BKsMsc&feature=youtu.be
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‘Blauwe Brieven’ (Blue Letters) a deep dive into the Dutch Indies Issue by Henk Harcksen
A deep dive into the political-administrative, historical and legal aspects of the Dutch East Indies issue. How politicians have been wrestling with this subject for more than 70 years. How is that possible? Why are substantiated claims still not honoured? What has been happening since the ’40s, ’50s and ’60s from the previous century until now?
The book “Blue Letters”, written by jurist Henk Harcksen, presents a short and concise look at this very issue. What seems to be a very complicated issue is unravelled and brought down to an understandable level. A level that shows claims that are not being paid, being avoided or agreements being swept under the rug. A level of compensations and lump-sum payments. A level of divide and rule, political chess, legal jousting and tasteless civil service. This can all be titled “Unjust”. The parties involved have almost all passed away. The remaining parties who are still living suffer from the pain of this injustice, even at and old age. These are not war stories.
These are stories that the political directors and legally responsible persons should be taking note of because there is still a large group of the next generation who are affected. They are still affected by the traumas of their parents from the camps. They inherit the sadness, the rage and the suffering of their parents. They continue to fight until justice is done.
In 2020, The Netherlands celebrates 75 years of freedom. There will be a large group of Dutch people who have experienced the same 75 years in a different light.
The book can be ordered directly from Henk Harcksen by depositing USD 38.00 into his account: NL30 RABO 0387 1107 04. based on Blue Letters. Shipping costs are included. Don’t forget to mention the delivery address {name-address-postcode-residence}.
Mail address of Henk Harcksen: harcksenhenk@gmail.com
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The King of the Netherlands today apologized to Indonesia
LET THE HISTORICAL FACTS SPEAK UP.
The King of the Netherlands today apologized to Indonesia for the excessive violence committed by Dutch military personnel in the years following the Japanese occupation. It is a first step in the right direction, but no more than that.
In his speech, the king forgot to mention that in 1949 the Netherlands transferred the backpay debt to its own military and official personnel over 3.5 years of the Japanese occupation to Indonesia. So-called: a debt transfer has never taken place. The Republic of Indonesia has been used in this respect as a lightning rod for a capital debt obligation.
In 1966 it was agreed that the Indonesian government would pay 686 million Guilders to compensate families who fled from Indonesia and from Dutch New Guinea between 1958 and 1962 for the loss of their possessions. However, the State accounted for the lion’s share of these reparations: only a fraction of the money was legally earmarked for the victims themselves.
What President Jokowi probably also does not know is what happened during the negotiations on the payment of the amount that Thailand paid to take over the Burma-Thailand Railway built by Allied and Indigenous Forced Laborers. The compensation of more than 1.2 million Guilders for looted railway equipment from Java had to be paid to the Indonesian Government in 1952 because it is the legal successor of the colony. The money was not transferred to ‘Jakarta’, but to the Dutch government. After which every trace of a transaction is missing from Indonesia.
And there are more open files, including the money that Indonesian, Moluccan and Chinese victims of forced prostitution have earned, but never received because the money was deposited with the two Japanese war banks to finance the war machine. And after the war was confiscated by order of the Dutch government without the young women having seen a cent of it.
SHORT CONCLUSION: in its relentless colonial modus operandi to settle outstanding bills, the Dutch State has disadvantaged its own former colony as much as all displaced families who have fled to the Netherlands. Including all protected Indonesian families, whose fathers worked for the Dutch intelligence services.
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Cameron Dettman
Grilled Satay at BBQ’s. The smell of Durians in the fridge. My aunt chanting in the afternoons. I have always treasured my Indonesian heritage. It has influenced me since I was a young boy.
After Japan surrendered on 15 August 1945, World War II was over in The Dutch East Indies and the rest of Southeast Asia, my grandparents (Opa and Oma) and their 6 children immigrated from Indonesia to Holland in 1956. They eventually made their way to America and settled in Santa Barbara, CA in 1960. Fast forward many years and eventually my mom met my dad while taking golf lessons. The rest is history, as they say.
Fast forward a few more years and my sister and I were born. During my youth we would constantly be watched by Opa and Oma while my parents worked. This created many distinct memories. They still spoke Bahasa and Dutch to each other so we were taught many words to use for simple requests. I remember Opa cooking satay for us during BBQ’s. I didn’t know it was called satay, I just thought that was how you were supposed to eat chicken. I still think that. I remember Opa’s favorite ice cream flavor was Haagen Dazs Coffee Ice Cream. My sister and I used to steal the ice cream out of the freezer and systematically dismantle said ice cream with no remorse. I remember Opa used to bring durian home from his trips to Indonesia and smell up the house to many complaints from the rest of us. I remember my aunt ringing her gong and doing her Buddhist chants in the afternoons. I remember Opa wearing his nice Batik shirts and always thinking they were very beautiful. This has specifically had a large influence on my personal taste in clothes. Today I wear patterned shirts at my performances in honor of Opa and my Indonesian heritage.
Opa and Oma have since passed away, and the rest of our family now carry on the traditions of our Indonesian roots. Opa’s recipe for Satay was used during our last thanksgiving. It’s still the best way to eat chicken.
Like many other Indos I’m a musician receding in Las Vegas and had the privilege to meet up with the GM of the Ritz Carlton in Singapore who visited one of the lounges in Vegas were I was performing, he offered me to stay in his hotel in Singapore and by the end of this month I’ll be flying back to perform on a nightly basis, this is for me a beautiful opportunity to fly from Singapore to Jakarta to stay with my cousins.
I’m so happy to be the opening at at Socal Indo’s 2nd Annual FAIR FOOD FESTIVAL Sunday 8 September at Dutch Club Avio and look forward to meet all you Indos.
Thank you for reading, my name is Cameron Dettman.
