After 78 Years, the Netherlands Finally Recognizes Indonesian Independence on August 17, 1945

Dream - The Dutch government officially acknowledges 'fully and unconditionally' that Indonesia's independence was declared on August 17, 1945.

The issue of recognition of the Proclamation of Indonesian Independence by the Netherlands continues to be a hot topic as the Netherlands previously only recognized Indonesian independence on December 27, 1949. This refers to the transfer of sovereignty based on the results of the Round Table Conference (RTC).

"The Netherlands acknowledges 'fully and unconditionally' that Indonesia became independent on August 17, 1945," said Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte on Wednesday, June 14, 2023, quoted from AD.nl.

Several local media outlets such as Nieuws, MSN, and ANP have confirmed Rutte's statement. He made the statement during a parliamentary discussion on the study of decolonization in 1945-1950.

Following the recognition, Mark Rutte ensured that he would immediately contact President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) for a 'joint recognition'.

Rutte stated that the Dutch government has always paid full attention to the recognition of Indonesian independence every August 17, 1945.

"For example, the king has sent a congratulatory telegram to Indonesia on August 17 every year," he said.

Dutch PM Apologizes for 250 Years of Slavery, Is It for Indonesia?

Dream - Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has officially apologized for the Netherlands' involvement in slavery for 250 years.

The apology comes nearly 150 years after the end of slavery in the European country's overseas colonies, including Suriname and islands such as Curacao and Aruba in the Caribbean, and Indonesia.

In his speech at the national archives in The Hague, Rutte acknowledged that the past cannot be erased. However, he said that for centuries, the Netherlands has enabled, encouraged, and profited from slavery.

"People were commodified, exploited, and traded on behalf of the Netherlands," he said in the speech, quoted from The Guardian, Tuesday, December 20, 2022.

"Indeed, no one alive today bears personal responsibility for slavery. But the Netherlands bears responsibility for the extraordinary suffering of those who were enslaved and their descendants. Today, on behalf of the Dutch government, I apologize for the actions of the Dutch state in the past."

This step follows the conclusions of a national advisory panel formed after the murder of George Floyd in the United States in 2020.

They stated that the Netherlands' participation in slavery is a crime against humanity that deserves an official apology and financial reparations.

So far, the Netherlands has refused to pay reparations for its past actions. However, Amsterdam has set aside up to 200 million euros or around IDR 3.1 trillion for education expenses.

Historians estimate that at the height of the kingdom in the 16th and 17th centuries, Dutch traders sent up to 600,000 enslaved Africans to South American and Caribbean colonies such as Suriname and Curacao. Some were also sent to South Africa and Indonesia.

However, this official apology has sparked significant controversy. Some affected countries criticize it for being rushed and argue that the lack of consultation from the Netherlands shows that a colonial attitude still persists.

The Prime Minister of the Dutch Caribbean territory of Sint Maarten, Silveria Jacobs, told Dutch media over the weekend that the island will not accept the government's apology 'until our advisory committee has discussed it and we as a country have discussed it'.

Roy Kaikusi Groenberg of the Honor and Recovery Foundation, a Dutch Afro-Surinamese organization, said there has not been enough consultation with descendants, describing the government's handling of the issue as 'neo-colonial belching.'

"We have been waiting for true reparatory justice for several hundred years. We believe we can wait longer," said Rhoda Arrindell, an activist in Sint Maarten.