“Re-examine Dutch military violence in the Indies”, headlined De Volkskrant today. In an opinion piece, three directors of leading historical research institutes call for a re-examination of Dutch actions during the Indonesian war of independence. What is there to add to all the historical research that has already been done? Four questions for Gert Oostindie, one of the writers of the play.
They are not the least names in the world of Dutch academic history. Piet Kamphuis, Gert Oostindie and Marjan Schwegman are respectively director of the Netherlands Institute for Military History, the Royal Institute for Language, Land and Ethnology and the Netherlands Institute for War Documentation. In an opinion piece in De Volkskrant today they jointly underlined the need for a new, comprehensive investigation into Dutch military action in the Indies. Kennislink spoke with Gert Oostindie.
If, in addition to the Second World War, there is one subject that has been extensively treated by historians, it is the conduct of the Netherlands in the Indies. What do you think is missing from the existing research?
“There are certainly three reasons for a new, comprehensive investigation. First of all, there are still many things that have not been investigated. In addition, existing studies regularly contradict each other. Third, we think it's important to have everything in order. Who exactly did what? How many casualties were there actually? Because everything took place seventy years ago, this is also one of the last opportunities to be able to interview those involved. We should take advantage of that opportunity before it's too late.”
You write that you also want to involve Indonesian historians in such a new study. What could they contribute in concrete terms?
“For political reasons, all kinds of myths have arisen over the years, both on the Dutch and Indonesian side. For example, for years the Netherlands refused to admit that it was waging a colonial war, the government spoke of 'Police Actions' from the start. There are also completely different interpretations of the facts that have taken place. It is time to look together at how this myth-building has worked on both sides and what we can say with certainty about this conflict.”
Can you give an example of such a divergent interpretation of the facts?
“A striking example is the Western affair. In July 1946, Lieutenant Raymond Westerling was ordered by the Dutch government to put down an uprising in South Sulawesi. According to Dutch sources, 1500 victims have been killed, but on the Indonesian side there is talk of no fewer than 30,000 deaths. These kinds of matters have only received full attention in recent years.”
“A lot is still unclear about the exact course of events during patrols that led to executions such as in the village of Rawagede, for which the Dutch government openly apologized last year. If we put all sources side by side, we can better determine what actually happened, and how many people actually died. We have to try to be more realistic about it.”
The Rawagede case also showed last year that the wounds of many Indonesians are still not healed. Do you expect them to be open to joint historical research?
“Perhaps not all Indonesians. It will still be sensitive, especially for groups within the military and in politics. But historians will certainly want to cooperate. At a symposium this week I spoke to the director of the Indonesian Academy of Sciences and he was immediately enthusiastic. The events between 1945 and 1949 were of great importance in both the Netherlands and Indonesia. All the more reason to investigate this together and try to make it a shared story.”