Netherlands Apologises For 1947 Indonesia Massacre

Netherlands Apologises For 1947 Indonesia Massacre

By SONJA DECHIAN | Published: DECEMBER 12, 2011

The Dutch government has formally apologized for the 1947 massacre of hundreds of people in a village in West Java.

Dutch ambassador to Indonesia, Tjeerd de Zwaan, made the apology at a ceremony commemorating the anniversary of the massacre, attended by hundreds of people from Rawagede (now renamed as Balongsari), the village where up to 430 boys and men were killed by Dutch troops during Indonesia’s struggle for independence.

‘In this context and on behalf of the Dutch government, I apologize for the tragedy that took place in Rawagede on the 9 December 1947,’ De Zwaan said, in both English and Indonesian.

The apology followed a landmark ruling by a Dutch civil court in September that found the state responsible for the massacre. The Dutch government has also compensated families of those killed with a 20,000 Euro payment.