The following article first published in August 2017 details the funding of a “Dutch Indo Meeting Place” in The Hague, the Netherlands. Funds were also set aside for the annual Herdenkingsdag Commemoration on August 15 and a virtual Dutch Indo monument consisting of war stories including the names of victims. The article mentions the Dutch Parliament designating the sums of 1.5 million Euros annually up to the year 2022 and from then onwards 1 million Euros per year for these initiatives. The primary recipients of the funds are, among others, Stichting Pelita, Indisch Platform and Stichting Herdenking 15 Augustus 1945. Not one mention is made in reference to Dutch Indos outside the Netherlands as if they did not exist.
The question on the minds of Dutch Indos outside of the Netherlands is whether they and their organizations are included in these initiatives. A great number who have maintained their Dutch Citizenship, also suffered trauma, violence and imprisonment during WWII and the Bersiap period. Was their suffering any less than Dutch Indos living in the Netherlands? The displacement and global dispersal of the Dutch Indo community was a direct result of the Dutch government actions in the past. It is our hope that the Dutch Parliament will not discriminate and require the recipients of the funds to include Dutch Indo groups outside the Netherlands to participate in these initiatives. To exclude the Dutch Indos living outside the Netherlands would be a continuance of their past treatment of Dutch Indos in fracturing the community through exclusion rather than inclusion.
~ Priscilla Kluge McMullen, Founder and Chair, The Indo Project
NU NL – Dinsdag 20 maart 2018
Originally Published: August 11, 2017
Indische gemeenschap krijgt extra bijdrage voor zorg en herdenking
The Dutch Indo Community Receives Additional Funds for Care and Commemoration – Translation by: Josina Hillsland
The Dutch government has decided to distribute extra funds to the Dutch Indo community in the Netherlands. This distribution is intended for a meeting and memorial place in The Hague and for care and memorial activities.
State Secretary Martin van Rijn (VWS) speaks of a ”collective recognition” in a parliamentary letter. It mentions, designating 1.5 million Euros annually up to the year 2022, and from then onwards 1 million Euros per year.
In the aftermath of WWII, during which the Dutch East Indies was occupied by Japan, and following Indonesia’s war of independence, hundreds of thousands of people from the Dutch colony came to the Netherlands. Many were displaced, destitute and traumatized.
Agreements
Van Rijn has made agreements with, among others, welfare organization Stichting Pelita, the umbrella organization Indisch Platform and Stichting Herdenking 15 August 1945.
A ‘Dutch Indo Meeting Place’ will be built in The Hague. The intention is for the Indisch Herinneringscentrum, the Moluccan Historical Museum, the Indisch Platform, and Stichting Herdenking 15 August 1945 to establish themselves in a stately building at the Sophialaan in The Hague.
A predecessor of this ‘Dutch Indo Meeting Place’, had been the “Dutch Indo House” which went under in 2006 due to mismanagement. According to Van Rijn, in order to prevent a recurrence, the financial plans were carefully reviewed and clear agreements regarding accountability put in place.
Past
Extra attention and special care will be made available for the elderly. Many have a traumatic past that includes violence, war and a partly non-traditional Dutch cultural background.
Finally, there is money set aside for commemoration, such as the National Commemoration on August 15thand also for a virtual Dutch Indo monument with war stories and names of victims.
In 2015, the Dutch Cabinet decided to disburse funds as a solution to the lingering Backpay issue. The Backpay Issue is the non-payment of the salaries of civil servants and soldiers from the Dutch East Indies, who continued to serve during the WWII Japanese occupation and were never compensated by the Dutch government. This decision led to anger in the Dutch Indo community as the disbursements applied ONLY to those who were still alive in 2015 and not posthumously.
DE BACKPAY BEHOORDT VOOR IEDEREEN DIE IN DE OORLOG IN NEDERLANDS INDIE MEEGEMAAKT HEEFT EN DAAR BEHOREN DE KINDEREN OOK BIJ ,ER ZAL GEEN ONDERSCHEIDINGEN GEMAAKT WORDEN OF SPECIALE DATUMS TE ZETTEN ,DAT HEBBEN DE JAPANNER OOK NOOIT GEDAAN,ZOZAL IN DE VREDIGE WERELD OOK NIET MOETEN ,DISCRENERINGEN MOETEN WE NU OOK NIET MEER DOEN ,HET WORDT TIJD VOOR EEN DRINGENDE OPLOSSING TE VINDEN ,SATU DARAH DAN SATU BANGSA
At the very least, one of the recipients of this 1.5 Euro should send funds to elsewhere in the world where a Herdenking Ceremony is held. There are two in California that I know of and the one in NorCal is funded by Henny Neys, including gathering at her lovely home afterwards. Would be great to have the place & reception expenses afterwards be covered by this funding. Not only in the US, but Canada & Australia & elsewhere, wherever there is an official Herdenking Ceremony held. If we Indos remain loyal to our Dutch & Indonesian customs, especially with something like remembering the lives lost during WWII, then the Netherlands should extend their hand in an outreach capacity.
Dear Ingrid,
I am in total agreement with you. We are descendants of people who were and are Dutch Citizens and loyal to the Dutch Government We, the 2nd, 3rd and 4th generations are continuing that legacy. The least the Dutch Government can do is encourage our efforts in spreading Dutch history and customs throughout the world today!
Excellent, Ronny. Thank you for sharing the link!
An Indo with the name Bert told me that Peggy Stein had mentioned us Amerindo in her speech. That same day I did listen to her and she was talking about us Amerindo’s, who also have the right to a backpay.
Now I started listening to all the little You-Tube films, but I am not able to find that part. Sorry! But I keep trying.
I did find Peggy Stein Facebook film, where she mentioned also the Indo in America.
https://www.facebook.com/dstimpico/videos/10212128797677378/
It is about in the 25th minute.
All of us Indos in the USA and other parts of the world need to speak up, thanks for joining the chorus, Ronny Geenen! Your website helps a great deal in educating others. Can you send me the link where you found Peggy’s speech? Thanks much.
I was under the impression all of us who lived under Dutch colonial rule, in the former Dutch East Indies, and were affected directly by the Dutch Government’s decisions on what to do with their colony, HAVE PAID DEARLY! They paid with the Loss of hundreds of thousands of Dutch Indo lives for their loyalty to the Netherlands during WWII; for their persecution during the Bersiap and the turmoil that followed; their loss of property and assets; the loss of their birthland, their loss of identity, loss of their dignity… It is not as if Dutch Indos living OUTSIDE the Netherlands suffered any less than Dutch Indos living IN the Netherlands.
It is easy to forget and abandon the needs and the rights of Dutch Indos living outside of the Netherlands and unless we make ourselves known and heard, the status quo is maintained.
Hi Priscilla, I fully agree with your respond. But only a few are willing to write about it. Tell them what we think and let them know our experiences and history.
I am also not done yet. Have you listen to the speech from Peggy Stein during the demonstration Backpay at the Dam in Amsterdam? She also mentioned the word Amerindo’s.
Dear Priscilla and Josina,
Thank you both for the article regarding the IHC, Indisch Herinneringscentrum at the Sophialaan 10, The Hague. I am afraid that they are not willing to listen to us Indo’s abroad. Just look at one of their web page and who are in control.
http://www.indischherinneringscentrum.nl/over-ons/organisatie
Only a few have Indo background. I have the feeling that most of the people are trying to control the different Indo organisations. There is a saying: “Wie betaald, bepaald” (Who paid, determined)