NETHERLANDS TO RETURN 288 STOLEN ARTIFACTS TO INDONESIA AFTER CENTURIES OF COLONIAL RULE

Mon 23 September 2024:

The Netherlands has announced the return of 288 cultural artifacts and historical objects that were illegally taken from Indonesia during the colonial period. The repatriation, which comes at Indonesia’s request, will take place on September 20 at the Wereldmuseum in Amsterdam. Among those attending the event will be Hilmar Farid, Indonesia’s director-general for culture, and members of the Indonesian Repatriation Committee.

Priceless Sculptures and Artifacts Taken During Colonial Rule to Be Returned

The returned items include four Hindu-Buddhist sculptures that were taken from Java in the early 19th century, along with a variety of other objects, including weapons, coins, textiles, and jewelry. These 284 objects were brought to the Netherlands following the Dutch colonial conquest of South Bali in 1906.

“These objects were wrongfully taken to the Netherlands during the colonial period and are of cultural interest to Indonesia,” noted a government statement.

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Repatriation Efforts Reflect Netherlands’ Commitment to Restitution

The return of these artifacts follows recommendations from the Colonial Collections Committee, which investigates the origins of cultural objects brought to the Netherlands during its colonial past. This is the second major repatriation after the Netherlands returned items to Indonesia and Sri Lanka in the summer of 2023, signaling a broader effort to right historical wrongs and return stolen heritage.

Netherlands’ rule

The Netherlands ruled Indonesia for over three centuries, beginning with the establishment of the Dutch East India Company (VOC) in the early 17th century. The VOC controlled trade and resources, particularly spices, in the Indonesian archipelago. After the VOC dissolved in 1799, the Dutch government took direct control, formalizing Indonesia as a colony.

Throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, the Dutch expanded their territory across the islands, exploiting natural resources and labor, and suppressing local resistance through military force. The colonization had significant economic, cultural, and political impacts on Indonesia, creating a highly stratified society with Dutch elites and local rulers.

Indonesian nationalist movements grew in the early 20th century, leading to a declaration of independence in 1945 after Japanese occupation during World War II. However, the Dutch attempted to regain control, resulting in four years of conflict until they officially recognized Indonesia’s independence in 1949.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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