- Radio Nederland Wereldomroep
VIVAnews – The Dutch government today apologized officially to the victims of Rawagede massacre in Indonesia following the lawsuit filed by the victims’ widows against the Dutch government in The Hague civil court, the Netherlands, on September 14.
The widows won the lawsuit. This has become a historical event that has garnered international attention. Therefore, the commemoration of the Rawagede tragedy in the Rawagede monument, Balongsari Village, Karawang, today, Friday, Dec 9, will be a pivotal moment for the residents of Rawagede.
The victims’ rights will be acknowledged for the first time. The Dutch government was charged guilty by the court in The Hague. The government must compensate to the victims’ family as regulated by law.
Back then, December 9, 1947, 431 residents of Rawagede were gunned down by the Dutch soldiers. They died drenched in their blood, all over paddy fields, rivers and even their own yards. The Rawagede massacre was considered as the cruelest, most brutal and bloodiest criminal act ever done by the Netherlands within the period of 1945-1949.
Last Monday, Dec 5, 2011, the Dutch Foreign Minister, Uri Rosenthal confirmed that his government should be apologizing to the victims’ families of the tragedy.
“This is for the justice of the serious incident that happened in Rawagede. I hope that this would make the victims’ closest family members to close the hardest episode of their lives, so they can move forward to the future,” said Rosenthal as quoted by Radio Netherlands.
The apology from the Dutch government will be represented by the Dutch Ambassador to Indonesia, Tjeerd de Zwaan. Historian as well as President of Rawagede Society, Sukarman, said that he was relieved that finally history takes side with the victims.
“Justice has been done,” he said. Sukarman himself is a grandson of one of the Rawagede victims.
At this moment, the situation around Rawagede monument is crowded with locals as well as visitors who want to participate in Rawagede Tragedy commemoration. Liesbeth Zegveld, the widows’ lawyer from the Netherlands, is also in attendance.
