Relatives of former KNIL soldiers and civil servants from the Dutch East Indies will not receive any overdue salaries from their parents, once deceased. The Central Board of Appeal confirmed an earlier court ruling.
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During the v (1942-1945), 82,000 former soldiers and civil servants in the former Dutch colony received no salary. For decades they fought for payment of this debt of – converted to today’s value – 5.7 billion euros.
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The Netherlands has always refused this, because these financial obligations would have been transferred to Indonesia. That does not seem to be right. At the end of 2015, the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS) concluded an agreement with the Indisch Platform as ‘moral satisfaction’. Those who were eligible and who were still alive on 15 August 2015 could receive a one-off payment of 25,000 euros. In the end, a mere 600 people turned out to be eligible.
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Survivors appealed to the Central Board of Appeal. They found the arbitrarily chosen reference date ‘unfair’ and ‘discriminating’. They want moral and financial recognition for their fathers (and mothers) who were tortured and suffered while serving the Netherlands.
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Earlier, the court ruled that the conditions of the regulation were ‘not unreasonable’. The Central Board of Appeal confirmed that judgment.
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The surviving relatives now have no longer the possibility of litigation in the Netherlands, but they can still go to the European Court of Human Rights.
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By Josina Hillsland.
I have also heard many Disgracefully and unfair stories about the experiences that some have received after the WW II.
I,m a just prewar person from 1938 and now the youngest surviving sibling of 4. In December 1957 we at last given a chance to board the Captain Cook Steam ship, and arrived in January 1958 in Amsterdam ,Holland. Apparently we have lived in Tjimahi west java, where I was born. My father was C Smith and was a Sargeant Major Administrator with the GENI in the KNIL. Some how ??? we lived at some stage somewhere in Krembangan ??? in Surabaya around 1939 -1942, and after, shortly until late 1942 in Malang, where we experience the bombardment from Moro Kremhangan in the months of March and after. We lived with blackouts and could hear the aero planes and whistle ling sounds of bombs and the sky lightening up as the bombs hitting the targets .Lucky as we found out after ,that we were not longer in Krembangan. That could have been disasterous. In1942 ,my father was taken prison to become a POW . In Malang Camp we were able for the last time that we saw him, before he was transported to Burma , where he past away in Hindato Railway camp in 1943, As I was only a 4 year old Child then, I can not rememder much of then, and if anyone may have information or knowledge about the area, I like very much to hear from him or her. One child vision memory was off the time in Krembangan, that we lived in a large house alongside a wide bitumen paved road, opposite a site street??? thus forming a T Junction. The house has a large front tiled patio and was an elevated house higher than the road with a full width multi stage tiled steps and it had also two solid concrete pillars ,supporting a high ceiling and roof. it has also a large granite morter rendered flower bed. gratefull for any information’s, The house was a Underofficer with a family allocated living kwarter. some one told me Lookin forward to hear from anyone .Thank you Since july 1971 I live in QLD Australia
So are we able to make a case for money to be paid to heirs for service from a parent.
It is indeed a disgrace that the Netherlands Government has treated KNIL soldiers and their families in such a shabby manner. The Netherlands was content to exploit the Indies for hundreds of years, but when it came to something as basic as reimbursing a person his lost wages, it was too costly!
My father, a 37 year old with six children, served in the KNIL, was imprisoned for years, including time working on the Burma Railway, and managed to survive, as did most members of my family. Not only did my family arrive in the Netherlands penniless after the war, but as we know, the war cast a very long shadow over those people who survived and their families in more ways than lack of money. It tore apart families, affected people psychologically and caused countless, subtle issues that many displaced people suffer.
But a mean and heartless Government, with a conveniently short memory, cares not for them.
Wim Versteegh
Adelaide Australia
Hi
I know its a long time from 2018 when you posted. I’m a bit slow with this.
A lady from Holland contacted me a few years ago regarding stone setting for my grandfathers house in terborg. She also alerted me to the fact that my dad was not paid for his service in the Dutch East Indies. My father passed in 2012. Did you ever pursue a claim thru the European court of human rights?if so, how did you go. Thanks
My Opa, a KNIL Sargeant was POW from 1942 to 1945 in Thailand (Siam) and Burma, surviving many harrowing experiences. He passed in 2012 in California, disappointed and bitter that nothing was ever granted from the Netherlands.
This is a very unfair decission by the Dutch Government, to just ignore those soldiers who gave their life as they died in that WWII prison or battle field.
My Father, sgt.NFJ.Diemel, a KNIL soldier, taken prisoner in 1942 and died in Changi Jap prison in 1945 at the end of that war, was never paid for those three years of his life.
Een groote schande!
Nico E. Diemel