Dutch Compensation
Dec 19th, 2007, in History, by Guest WriterShould Indonesia seek compensation from the Netherlands?
Should Indonesia seek Dutch compensation?
As I read more about the history of Indonesia, this question cropped up to tease me.
The question being this; should Indonesia demand compensation from the Dutch Government for their past atrocities and what they looted during their time in Indonesia?
I have neither come across any source which says that the Dutch have formally and unequivocally apologised for their past crimes against the Indonesians nor is there anything which says that Indonesia has absolved the Dutch.
The history of the VOC and the Dutch East Indies is filled with umpteen comments that relate about Dutch atrocities.
Comments such as this:
“It was the beginning of Dutch colonialism in Indonesia. … In these outrageous expeditions countless atrocities were committed.”
and this:
“For of all the countries, outside of Africa, that had suffered from colonialism, Indonesia was without a doubt plundered the most ferociously. When the Indonesian masses finally were able to declare their political independence, the rich archipelago was one of the most impoverished areas on earth.”
and this,
“the Dutch had tried and ultimately failed to re-impose their colonial power on the country after World War II. In the process, the Dutch military were guilty of what official records call ‘excesses’ In the view of some who were there, these ‘excesses’ were nothing less than war crimes. The sense of denial and cover up is so strong, most Dutch historians won’t touch it.”
and this:
“Wim, a Dutch soldier with the rank of corporal was stationed in Western Java in the Bogor area. He saw the ‘police action’ in Indonesia as morally wrong and refused to shoot people. He refused to be in a position of some authority and asked to be relieved of his corporal’s responsibilities. Accordingly, the commanding officer demoted him to serve as an ordinary soldier.
Wim’s memories connected with experiences of that period were deeply repressed and disturbed him many years later when he was an older man. He witnessed much human misery, saw friends killed and innocent Indonesians slaughtered. Mutilated bodies were a common sight.”
and this:
“This wall of denial has only increased over time. There is a general silence about the murders committed by the Dutch Army in the name of the Dutch kingdom.
The Indonesians are trying to forget their painful past. So no one wanted to ask, no one wanted to find out what happened and no one did. The ghosts of colonial misrule and murder linger over Indonesia, even today.”
Historical Facts
1602 – 1799. Indonesia was “ruled” by the Dutch VOC, which were a combination of Dutch Companies.
1800. Dutch formally declared the archipelago as the Dutch East Indies under direct rule of the Dutch Government.
1949. Dutch were forced in by International pressure to recognize Indonesia’s Independence declaration in 1945.
Additional details of Indonesian History Timeline: 1602 – 1949
1602, March 20th. Dutch companies combine to form Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie (VOC); led by Heeren XVII representing different regions of the Netherlands; States-General gives VOC power to raise armies, build forts, negotiate treaties and wage war in Asia.
VOC establishes post at Gresik.
The Dutch East India Company was given most of the powers of a sovereign state, partly because communication between the Netherlands and Asia was so slow that colonial activities simply could not be directed from Amsterdam.
1798. Dutch government revokes charter of VOC, assumes its debts and assets.
The VOC was losing money to corruption and political intrigues. By the end of the 1700s, it was fully bankrupt. On January 1st, 1800, it ceased to exist.
1800, January 1st. VOC formally dissolved; properties revert to Dutch government.
More of these excerpts from “Timeline of Indonesian History” can be seen at http://www.gimonca.com/sejarah/sejarah02.shtml
Compensation
Compensation from the Japanese Government was once thought to be beyond any hope for those comfort ladies who were forced to serve as sex slaves for the Japanese Forces during their Occupation.
After several generations and with the details of Dutch atrocities either forever lost or progressively becoming blurred, is it beyond any hope for Indonesia to demand compensation from the Dutch?
I am not aware if Indonesia considered it and representation for compensation was made to the Dutch Government.
Assuming that Indonesia did in fact request for compensation but did not succeed, the Dutch attitude finds a similar comparison from an observer’s remark. It was about the gift that Queen Beatrix’s gave to Indonesia during her official presence in Indonesia’s for celebrations of their 50th anniversary of Independence.
~ and drum roll please….
The Queen presented the Indonesian people with a Friesian cow. It must have been her pet cow and it probably sat beside H.R.H Beatrix on Royal Dutch Airline – all the way to Indonesia.
“A cow and not a Rembrandt or a Van Gogh. Very rude. That’s part of the Dutch soul, this rudeness.”
the observer berated.
In the case of the Dutch, I do not know what a Friesian cow symbolises. I do know what a cow symbolises for the Hindus but then again, Indonesia is not predominantly Hindu. Oh well, it was better a cow than a Trojan Horse.
It could well have been a Dutch way to inform the Indonesians that if they hoped for any compensation, they would have to wait till the cows come home. However, the Dutch would mock and have their Queen to bring at least one cow home to Indonesia with their sentiment,
“In the name of William of Orange! be thankful for that.”
By the way, anyone knows what has happened to that “royal” Friesian cow?
What about Dutch financial donations/loans, (not compensation)? I read the following. It relates to what happened 16 years ago.
“Multilateral aid to Indonesia was long an area of international interest, particularly with the Netherlands, the former colonial manager of Indonesia’s economy. Starting in 1967, the bulk of Indonesia’s multilateral aid was coordinated by an international group of foreign governments and international financial organizations, the Inter-Governmental Group on Indonesia. The IGGI was established by the government of the Netherlands and continued to meet annually under Dutch leadership, although Dutch aid accounted for less than 2 percent of the US$4.75 billion total lending arranged through the IGGI for FY 1991.”
Note how small was the Dutch amount. *brings out my calculator…..4.75 billion x 2 percent = 95,000,000 tops,
but it was LESS than 95 million said the article. PEANUTS compared to what the Dutch plundered from Indonesia for 350 years.
Anyway, it went on to say that
“the IGGI was disbanded. The Indonesian government decided not to accept further financial assistance from Holland because the Dutch government intervened too deeply in its domestic political affairs. The World Bank formed a new consortium called the CGI (Consultative Group on Indonesia) to take over IGGI’s role. Holland was not invited to join the CGI, and it has not become a member until today.”
However, no matter how ludicrous the question might be plus the fact it would have other ramifications because the Dutch are not the only colonialist throughout the history of mankind, would compensation be possible?
As an aside comment regarding corruption in Indonesia vis-a-vis Indonesia’s colonial past.
Aristotle once said:
“If you would understand anything, observe its beginning and its development.”
Having read what was the cause for the demise of the VOC, I have this remark to make.
Quote:
“The VOC was losing money to corruption and political intrigues. By the end of the 1700s, it was fully bankrupt. On January 1st, 1800, it ceased to exist.”
Therefore, apart from the human sufferings that the natives endured during the Dutch colonial period, is it tenable that corruption in post independent Indonesia is something the Indonesians witnessed and inherited from 200 years of VOC presence and presumably throughout the remaining 150 years of Dutch presence thereafter?
134 Comments on “Dutch Compensation”
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Dragonwall says:
Higher illiteracy, more poverty, more infant deaths, more HIV, lower life expectancy, lower GDP per person. And if you want to see the complete picture you should add Pakistan”¦ which will make the numbers even paler.
I think this are the after effects of the upper cast in these regions like Pakistan, India that accumulates over the years. Philanthropy doesn’t seem to be the word that exist to them or happened in their lives and that they were never given the chance in the presence of heat waves and typhoons.
India also suffers such segregation like the Tamils towards the south.
Ceylon was doing quite okay until came Sri Lanka where the Tigers were fighting fiercely over her.
The present government should be at fault over their dilemma.
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Teng says:
Let me quote yourself:
Therefore, apart from the human sufferings that the natives endured during the Dutch colonial period, is it tenable that corruption in post independent Indonesia is something the Indonesians witnessed and inherited from 200 years of VOC presence and presumably throughout the remaining 150 years of Dutch presence thereafter?
With this you are implying that Dutch rule caused one of the biggest problems of current affairs in Indonesia. Yet India’s missed chances are because of their own poor governance.
It is like you are saying: India is in a bad state despite English colonialism, Indonesia is in a bad state because of Dutch colonialism.
And the “over the top” comment was clearly related to the quote above it “persecuted like animals”
Oh and btw I am not in a state of denial about Dutch atrocities. I studied Indonesian history and read tons of books and articles about those atrocities.
Saying Dutch colonialism was bad is kicking in an open door. I am merely engaging in this discussion because I feel you are speaking in hyperbole’s
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iamisaid says:
As an aside comment regarding corruption in Indonesia vis-a-vis Indonesia’s colonial past.
Do you need reading lessons?
It says: AS AN ASIDE COMMENT.
Since you press on. YES and YES, in my opinion the corruption in present Indonesia had a lot to do with the corrupt ways of the Dutch.
Your stance is understandable because you are in the Netherlands.
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Cool it man Teng.
We should see history from the start.
The English have their fair share of atrocities so was the Dutch. But in liberal term the English laws that set the rule over the places they occupied in comparing to the Dutch were world aparts.
If you were to take a close look into the laws on English term they are more humane than the Dutch. The latter not only in arrogance of their superiority at that time contributes to the demise of the present day law in Indonesia that part of them were derivative of the Dutch colonialism.
Because of that the Indonesian government really care f**ks about the the minorities thinking that they were like a pampered child of the Dutch thus the evolution of segregation and hatred that existed over the accumulated years in Indonesian history.
Besides the topics of discussion, insults should be refrain and reduce to the minimum unless it is the person who is accuse of his misdeeds.
One should take the topic and comments as discussion in resolving problems where to start or begin.
Many, I am also one of them, take this forum as a joke blog at times and insults on commentators should be reduce unless it becomes over abusive into personal than topic.
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Very mature… name calling (smart ass) offending (do you need reading lessons) and then corrupting the discussion by saying: Your stance is understandable because you live in the Netherlands.
I held (and still hold) your articles in high regard. But if this is the way you start discussing, it ends here for me.
I will still read the things you write with pleasure, but I will surely refrain from commenting on them.
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Oh and one thing more Teng,
Do you know what hyperbole is?
You studied Indonesian history? And you did not read of how the Indonesian natives were treated like animals? You sure missed out plenty.
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Of course I am mature. Thank you!
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Hyperbole (pronounced /haɪˈpÉbÉ™li/ or “hy-PER-buh-lee”; “HY-per-bowl” is a mispronunciation) is a figure of speech in which statements are exaggerated. It may be used to evoke strong feelings or to create a strong impression, and is not meant to be taken literally.
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Since I am a UK fanboy, its got to be the Oxford Dictionary.
It says”
hyperbole
/hiperbli/
“¢ noun deliberate exaggeration, not meant to be taken literally.
“” DERIVATIVES hyperbolical adjective hyperbolically adverb.
“” ORIGIN Greek huperbole ‘excess’, from ballein ‘to throw’.
Too bad you think what I wrote is in hyperbole and it appears you took it to mean literally, because if you didn’t take it literally, “animals” would not have mattered would it?
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Cukurungan says:
Teng said:
According to Anne Booth, a specialist on South East Asian economics, Indonesian independence was the best thing that happened to the Dutch economy. The Dutch Indies weren’t profitable for a long time.Me:
So what was reason Dutch stayed in here until 350 years. Was dutch present in here for saving us …saving from what?… and why we have to kick their axxh hole otherwise the dutch will make their permanent nest in here like what they done in south africa.You said:
Compensation will probably be impossible, because of the ramifications it would have like you said.Me:
Precedence and reference are a cristal clear, Libya had paid $10 million for each death infindels in the panam bombing and we will ask the dutch to pay $20 million for each man and woman killed during the ducth criminal times. So go figure how much DUCTH have to pay us a compensation for 40,000 un-armed man and woman slaughtered by WESTERLING in the soccer field. Remember that cases is only one from thousand cases recorded in our history.bule gila Said:
Those Indonesians who think about demanding compensation from the Dutch”¦ did you consider giving compensation yourself for Indonesia’s forced annextion of East Timor? This is a much more recent case in history and the East Timorese could be said to have a much clearer case against the Indonesians.
me :
Agreed, if today the dutch pay compensation to us , tomorrow we will pay compensation the TimorEast people.
Pena Budaya said:
In my understanding VOC was the first multinational in the world. Of course it was a lousy one. What do you think about all multinationals/TNCs from European, US or China nowadays those are operating in developing countries or poor countries through supply chain with the end chain of home-based or sweatshops?Me:
It is very much different, yes in now days some MNC also committed crimes against humanity but not plainly as VOC had done in the past such as killing 10,000 Chinese Batavia and slaughtering 40,000 un-armed civilian in South Sulawesi.You said:
They all have same motive: making profits as much as they could.me:
See if the civilized dutch and anglo just to make profits they can do anything include massacred million people without apology..it seemed the religius freak already found very good justification to blow more powerful bomb anywhere and anytime.You said:
But, is there any government managed to sue for what they have done? Let me know if you know one.Me :
I don’t think there is any urgency to sue them because their crimes could becomes our good reminders who is representatives of the great devil in this world’s. We will never forget forever what was the real cost for the outbreak of Gold, Gospel and God upon hundred million natives people around the Globe. -
immigrant says:
Placing a monetary value in relation to compensation for prior crimes is at its best, difficult, I think this is something that can be agreed upon by all. Part of this problem is that the value increases the longer that even the thought of compensation drags on.
As a western foreigner living in the Netherlands for eight years I have gained a lot of insight into the Dutch psyche, which seeming possesses little to no sense of shame, which is what largely hinders this matter. The Dutch indignation to Max Havelaar’s book seems to have dissipated shortly after its short-lived but typically Dutch reaction. It was on to other more important things, like partying, an event which not so long ago was repeated in Srebenica. In comparison, their German neighbors are still struggling with a national sense of shame some 60 years on.
Not long ago it was reported to me by a Dutch graduate that the Dutch stood up and did the right thing by allowing Indonesia its independence, and reacted with utter horror when I informed him that it was only at the strong behest of the United Nations. This lack of educating their own with the truth lends itself to only more difficulty when trying to address reparations.
It is no wonder that they are having an issue with their cultural identity because the truths have been quagmired in the romanticization of themselves. There is no doubt in my mind that financial redress should be made that will adequately allow the areas formerly under Dutch rule to move beyond and ahead in this matter.
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The Indonesian government should take the first initiative to move ahead by seeking the Dutch to admit their wrong doing and then pursue from there. corrections neede to correct any flaws in the Indonesian Laws that will from there on no longer further discriminate and segregate the minorities.
Apology first, financial redress will be second. -
Robert says:
Cukurungan said:
Precedence and reference are a cristal clear, Libya had paid $10 million for each death infindels in the panam bombing and we will ask the dutch to pay $20 million for each man and woman killed during the ducth criminal times. So go figure how much DUCTH have to pay us a compensation for 40,000 un-armed man and woman slaughtered by WESTERLING in the soccer field. Remember that cases is only one from thousand cases recorded in our history.
How much of that money will go to the the (relatives of the) victims of the 1965/66 massacres, Aceh, East Timor and West-Papua killings?
Agreed, if today the dutch pay compensation to us , tomorrow we will pay compensation the TimorEast people.
Why not the pay East-Timorese first and set a good example? Why should they have to wait for the Dutch to pay?
dragonwall said:
corrections neede to correct any flaws in the Indonesian Laws that will from there on no longer further discriminate and segregate the minorities.corrections.
Why not start with changing the laws first? Doesn’t cost any money and the Dutch aren’t necessary here. The Indonesian Government doesn’t need the Dutch to change their laws.
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Robert said:
How much of that money will go to the the (relatives of the) victims of the 1965/66 massacres, Aceh, East Timor and West-Papua killings?
me :
We don’t need to pay anything for the victims of our internal conflict like there was no payment compensation for 100 million death of WWI &II, France Revolution, Mao Red Revolution and million death of America civil war.
you said:
Why not the pay East-Timorese first and set a good example? Why should they have to wait for the Dutch to pay?me :
The Dutch and Anglo are no.1 promotor and champion world’s crime against Humanity so they shall first lead by example to undue what they had been done in destroying natives people around the globe prior other to follow their pad.
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The Dutch and Anglo are no.1 promotor and champion world’s crime against Humanity so they shall first lead by example to undue what they had been done in destroying natives people around the globe prior other to follow their pad.
Yeah right.. here’s a list of the worlds biggest killers. I don’t see the English nor the Dutch on that list. Suharto however is 12th on the list. And why shouldn’t you have to compensate your own people? You seem to be a bit confused about “internal conflict”. First of all WWI and WWII weren’t internal conflicts (the name World War already kind of suggests it isn’t internal). The American civil war is a true internal conflict. Two parties fighting for what they think is right. Killing 500.000 unarmed alleged communists is hardly a conflict though
Mao Ze-Dong (China, 1958-61 and 1966-69, Tibet 1949-50) 49-78,000,000
Jozef Stalin (USSR, 1932-39) 23,000,000 (the purges plus Ukraine’s famine)
Adolf Hitler (Germany, 1939-1945) 12,000,000 (concentration camps and civilians WWII)
Hideki Tojo (Japan, 1941-44) 5,000,000 (civilians in WWII)
Pol Pot (Cambodia, 1975-79) 1,700,000
Kim Il Sung (North Korea, 1948-94) 1.6 million (purges and concentration camps)
Menghistu (Ethiopia, 1975-78) 1,500,000
Ismail Enver (Turkey, 1915) 1,200,000 Armenians
Yakubu Gowon (Biafra, 1967-1970) 1,000,000
Leonid Brezhnev (Afghanistan, 1979-1982) 900,000
Jean Kambanda (Rwanda, 1994) 800,000
Suharto (East Timor, West Papua, Communists, 1966-98) 800,000 -
Teng Said:
Yeah right.. here’s a list of the worlds biggest killers. I don’t see the English nor the Dutch on that list. Suharto however is 12th on the list.
me :
Your list was made by an Anglo man, He neglected data million death indian people caused by anglo oppression during British rules in India and He was hiding facts caused of disappearence 100 million red indian and aborigine from this earth.
FYI ..yes maybe Suharto killed some people but he never becames our president without help Anglo Secret Agent.
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And do you have some figures or articles on that? A 100 million Indian and Aborigine is quite a bald statement. If you can give me any sources on that, I will stand corrected
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Teng said:
And do you have some figures or articles on that? A 100 million Indian and Aborigine is quite a bald statement. If you can give me any sources on that, I will stand corrected
me :
http://www.religioustolerance.org/genocide5.htm
Over the next four centuries, their numbers were reduced to about 237,000 as Natives were almost wiped out. Author Carmen Bernand estimates that the Native population of what is now Mexico was reduced from 30 million to only 3 million over four decades. 13 Peter Montague estimates that Europeans once ruled over 100 million Natives throughout the Americas.
European extermination of Natives started with Christopher Columbus’ arrival in San Salvador in 1492. Native population dropped dramatically over the next few decades. Some were directly murdered by Europeans. Others died indirectly as a result of contact with introduced diseases for which they had no resistance — mainly smallpox, influenza, and measles.
Later European Christian invaders systematically murdered additional Aboriginal people, from the Canadian Arctic to South America. They used warfare, death marches, forced relocation to barren lands, destruction of their main food supply — the Buffalo — and poisoning. Some Europeans actually shot at Indians for target practice.
The genocide against American Natives was one of the most massive, and longest lasting genocidal campaigns in human history. It started, like all genocides, with the oppressor treating the victims as sub-humans. It continued until almost all Natives were wiped of the face of the earth, along with much of their language, culture and religionOther source :
Possibly Twenty (or so) Worst Things People Have Done to Each Other:
Rank Death Toll Cause Centuries
1 55 million Second World War 20C
2 40 million Mao Zedong (mostly famine) 20C
3 40 million Mongol Conquests 13C
4 36 million An Lushan Revolt 8C
5 25 million Fall of the Ming Dynasty 17C
6 20 million Taiping Rebellion 19C
7 20 million Annihilation of the American Indians 15C-19C
8 20 million Iosif Stalin 20C
9 19 million Mideast Slave Trade 7C-19C
10 18 million Atlantic Slave Trade 15C-19C
11 17 million Timur Lenk 14C-15C
12 17 million British India (mostly famine) 19C
13 15 million First World War 20C
14 9 million Russian Civil War 20C
15 8 million Fall of Rome 3C-5C
16 8 million Congo Free State 19C-20C
17 7 million Thirty Years War 17C
18 5 million Russia’s Time of Troubles 16C-17C
19 4 million Napoleonic Wars 19C
20 3 million Chinese Civil War 20C
21 3 million Frenc -
dewaratugedeanom says:
I think we shouldn’t focus the discussion only on the Dutch. Atrocities were committed by all colonial powers (except maybe for the Germans in Papua, for which I have no data) and these powers were not limited to nations inhabited by Caucasians only.
We should bear in mind that
“¢ People who volunteered and pioneered in moving to faraway and unknown places usually didn’t belong to the ‘crème de la crème’ of the nation but consisted for the largest part of scoundrels, rascals and misfits. It is a public secret that the first immigrants in Australia were British convicts. They surely didn’t change their bad habits after setting foot onshore a newly discovered land.
“¢ In those days parochialism was the common mindset of the populace. Contrary to the present era people weren’t confronted in the media with the beauty of different cultures and lifestyles. Everything unfamiliar was automatically considered as weird and threatening. Colored people were stereotyped and depicted as savages and cannibals by the primitive media of the time, which were limited to sketches and sailor stories.
“¢ As soon as awareness in the motherlands emerged about what happened in reality overseas, public reaction and indignation – certainly in the case of the Netherlands – started to influence policy makers to steer a more ethical course.
“¢ As with the VOC tempo dulu the real culprit even to this day is the greed of multinational corporations from all parts of the world and for whom human rights are just a hindrance on their way to profit maximization. Unfortunately these corporations largely escape national or supranational regulations.As there are no more living victims suffering from alleged atrocities it is my opinion that instead of coercing former colonial powers into direct financial retribution – we all know that the money will end up in Singaporean and Swiss bank accounts – it would be preferable for those countries to help their former colonies in standing on their own feet by funding and advising educational, ecological and humanitarian projects. As for apologies, it’s just ‘words words words”¦’
And, oh yes, Cukurungan, go and wipe you mouth boy. You’re driveling sh*t.
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dewaratugedeanom Said:
And, oh yes, Cukurungan, go and wipe you mouth boy. You’re driveling sh*t.
me:
Hi hi hi insult nya yg nendhang dong
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@ Cukurungan
I must admit I didn’t know it was that bad in America. I did know there were lots of atrocities and murders towards the Natives but not at this scale. And even though I wouldn’t consider smallpox, influenza and meazles as a “weapon”, I do admit that the British “earn” a spot in the list of worst killers.
So I stand partially corrected
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Cukurungan said
Peter Montague estimates that Europeans once ruled over 100 million Natives throughout the Americas.
Has there been a counting before the Europeans arrived, and who did it?
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Cukurungan said
The genocide against American Natives was one of the most massive, and longest lasting genocidal campaigns in human history. It started, like all genocides, with the oppressor treating the victims as sub-humans. It continued until almost all Natives were wiped of the face of the earth, along with much of their language, culture and religion.
The arrival of the Europeans at least put an end to the horror of Mesoamerican natives (Mayas, Aztecs, Toltecs etc.) slaughtering each other by the tens of thousands in their ritual human sacrifices. During these mass rituals the victims were ripped open alive and their still beating heart pulled out of their chest. Excavations in the area revealed that even children weren’t spared.
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dewaratugedeanom Said:
The arrival of the Europeans at least put an end to the horror of Mesoamerican natives (Mayas, Aztecs, Toltecs etc.) slaughtering each other by the tens of thousands in their ritual human sacrifices. During these mass rituals the victims were ripped open alive and their still beating heart pulled out of their chest. Excavations in the area revealed that even children weren’t spared.
Me:
Let kill European whenever and wherever we find them because they were slaughtering each other by the ten of million in theirs ritual WWI & WWII
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Let kill European whenever and wherever we find them because they were slaughtering each other by the ten of million in theirs ritual WWI & WWII
said Cukurungan while sharpening his knife and searching the Qur’an for a condoning verse.
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@Cukurungan
You said:
We don’t need to pay anything for the victims of our internal conflict like there was no payment compensation for 100 million death of WWI &II, France Revolution, Mao Red Revolution and million death of America civil war.
Why do you apply this double standard? You expect the Dutch to compensate financially for the atrocities they committed, while the Indonesians who committed the same atrocities don’t have to pay anything? Just because other countries didn’t do that either? I get the impression you are only interested in atrocities
And if you are so concerned about colonialism, you had better hurry up then. Indonesia is being robbed (again) by Western countries and China of its natural resources. This happens at a pace the people of the VOC couldn’t have imagined in their wildest dreams.
Don’t get me wrong, I am not against compensation. I do think that the Dutch Government should pay and apologise to the victims. They should do that because they have a moral obligation towards the victims, but not towards the Government.
you said:
Let kill European whenever and wherever we find them because they were slaughtering each other by the ten of million in theirs ritual WWI & WWII
Like the Indonesian Government did with the Papua’s, Acehnese, East-Timorese and (would-be) Communists?
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Sputjam says:
Non-europeans are not considered humans or perhaps considered as sub human species, by those from europe.
hence, although there were talks about freedon and democracy in america, blacks and natives were not invited to participate until recently.
If the europeans had not colonised south-east asia, the thais would have done so. they were the powerhouse in the region, with a systematic government and revered monarchy, and had a regular army. -
Sputjam Said:
Non-europeans are not considered humans or perhaps considered as sub human species, by those from europe.
hence, although there were talks about freedon and democracy in america, blacks and natives were not invited to participate until recently.me :
Sounds biased and hatred in your tones, the natives and black people were always invited in AMERICA DEMOCRACY but of course they haven’t deserved as a voters yet however they’re good enough to becomes the object for slaughter, butcher and humiliation for cheering up The true american democracy.
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Kirana says:
Hello, Malaysian here, wanting to comment on Sputjam’s comment. Actually, although of course being colonised is not seen as a good thing by malaysians, by and large I’m quite grateful that we had the british, as it could be a lot worse. I mean, you guys had to fight hard against the dutch, and the spanish killed many filipinos. Not to mention the french colonisation of indochina. Maybe the british were just too lazy or squeamish to kill hundreds of natives even if they are considered inferior, but it was still lucky thing for us.
Also, for some unknown reason, many ‘residents’ posted to ‘advise’ (that is to say, rule) the malay peninsula sultans appear to be people genuinely interested in the malay people. There are at least two who learned malay enthusiastically and went about with the local people, one even spoke chinese. This is quite unlike india, which seemed to attract mostly unsavoury types. Anyway, we got a fair few who behaved like administrators, especially later in the colonisation era, even if they did loot the land and the timber and sent the profits back to britain, and opened the floodgates for mass immigration. And though they did scurry out quick against the japanese invasion, they did come back to help fight the communists and even pulled other commonwealth countries like Australians and New Zealanders to assist. We did manage to get independence without bloodshed after that. So by and large, although of course it would be great not to be colonised in the first place, if it had to happen, it could’ve been far worse.
Comment on “Dutch Compensation”.
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Hello Teng,
Of course I am sure. Why would I state thus?
What has that got to do with the English? India gained Independence just like Indonesia did. India as in the same league with Indonesia missed their chances through poor governance after gaining Independence.
The state of what India or Indonesia or for that matter any other “freed” colony AFTER gaining their Independence is not the matter of discussion mooted by this article that I wrote.
Don’t try to sound like some smart ass with cliches like that. Over the top what?
Like I said, and I quote ” It would be their own bloody affair”. What the natives do unto themselves is their own bloody business. The point that you are deflecting is manifesting yourself being in a state of denial over the issue about Dutch atrocities.