The Rawagede massacre (Dutch: Bloedbad van Rawagede, Indonesian: Pembantaian Rawagede), was committed by the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army on 9 December 1947 in the village of Rawagede (now Balongsari in Rawamerta district, Karawang Regency, West Java). Forces of the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army were battling Indonesian Republican army fighters TNI and militia forces seeking independence for Indonesia. Almost all males from the village, amounting to 431 men according to most estimates, were killed by the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army, since the people of the village would not tell them where the Indonesian independence fighter Lukas Kustaryo [id] was hiding.
The Dutch received international pressure following Operation Product, their first police action against the Indonesian Republican forces, which led Dutch Lt. Governor-General Van Mook to order a ceasefire on 5 August 1947.[1] Mediated by the Committee of Good Offices (CGO), a panel of representatives from Australia, Belgium, and the United States, negotiations between the Dutch and Indonesian forces began on 8 December 1947 aboard the USS Renville.[2][3] Despite the ongoing negotiations, the Dutch continued their campaign against the Indonesian army.
Massacre
On 9 December 1947, a day after the initiation of the Renville negotiation, the Dutch army consisting of some 100 conscripts, under command of Major Alphons Wijnen, attacked Rawagede village and raided houses. They had received the order 'to clean up' the village, but could not find members of the Indonesia army. This triggered them to force people to get out of their homes to be gathered in a field. Males above 15 years were ordered to stand side by side, and then questioned on the presence of Republic fighters.[4]
On that day, the Dutch army executed 431 people of Rawagede; without legal inquiry, lawsuit or defense. The Dutch army in Rawagede have conducted what they referred to as a summary execution; an act which is clearly categorized as a warcrime which is murder of non-combatants.
Aftermath
This massacre was also known by The CGO. But the commission’ reaction was limited to ‘critic’ against the military action which they called "deliberate and ruthless", without further strict sanction due to human-rights abuse; let alone treating this massacre against innocent people as war crimes.[4]
Although Dutch Army General Simon Hendrik Spoor recommended that the responsible officer, Major Alphons Wijnen, be prosecuted, no criminal investigation was started. A report from the United Nations published on 12 January 1948 called the killings "deliberate and merciless".[4][5]
Legacy
On 8 September 2008, 10 widows of victims of the massacre officially held the Netherlands responsible for the massacre. The state lawyer replied in a letter published on 24 November 2008, that the Netherlands "deeply regrets" the massacre, but that it believes the term for prosecution had expired. This has drawn some criticism among members of the States-General of the Netherlands, as well as among leading Dutch newspaper NRC Handelsblad, which argued in an editorial that there is no such thing as a statute of limitations on war crimes.[4]
In December 2009, the 10 widows decided to sue the Dutch state in court.[5] The court decided on 14 September 2011 that the crime, due to its extraordinary nature, is not subject to a statute of limitations, and thus held the Dutch state fully accountable for the damages caused.[5] Following settlement negotiations with the Dutch State, the plaintiffs/widows of the men executed in Rawagedeh were awarded 20,000 euros each in compensation; the State furthermore agreed to extend its formal apologies for the massacre.[citation needed]
On 9 December 2011, the Dutch ambassador to Indonesia stated: "We remember the members of your families and those of your fellow villagers who died 64 years ago through the actions of the Dutch military... On behalf of the Dutch government, I apologize for the tragedy that took place." Only 9 relatives are still alive and will receive 20,000 euros ($27,000) compensation each, but there is no schedule for these payments.[6]
The ruling of the judge also included that the Dutch state was responsible because it has the duty to defend its inhabitants, which also indicated that the area was part of the Dutch East Indies in contradiction of the Indonesian claim of 17 August 1945 as its date of independence.[citation needed]
On 10 July 2012, the massacre received public attention in Netherlands after de Volkskrant, published two photos of an execution. Those photos are the only images documentation of massacre conducted by Royal Netherlands East Indies Army.[4]
See also
Decision by the district court of The Hague (14 September 2011), ECLI:NL:RBSGR:2011:BS8793
^ abcdeLorenz, Chris (2015). Tamm M. (ed.). "Can a Criminal Event in the Past Disappear in a Garbage Bin in the Present? Dutch Colonial Memory and Human Rights: The Case of Rawagede". Afterlife of Events. London: Palgrave Macmillan Memory Studies: 219–241.
^ abcvan den Herik, Larissa (July 2012). "Addressing 'Colonial Crimes' through Reparations? Adjudicating Dutch Atrocities Committed in Indonesia". Journal of International Criminal Justice. 10 (3): 693–705. doi:10.1093/jicj/mqs033.
^. 9 December 2011. Archived from the original on 15 September 2013.
January 06, 2023
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The Rawagede massacre Dutch Bloedbad van Rawagede Indonesian Pembantaian Rawagede was committed by the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army on 9 December 1947 in the village of Rawagede now Balongsari in Rawamerta district Karawang Regency West Java Forces of the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army were battling Indonesian Republican army fighters TNI and militia forces seeking independence for Indonesia Almost all males from the village amounting to 431 men according to most estimates were killed by the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army since the people of the village would not tell them where the Indonesian independence fighter Lukas Kustaryo id was hiding Rawagede massacre Interactive fullscreen map LocationRawagede present day Balongsari West JavaCoordinates6 15 S 107 17 E 6 250 S 107 283 E 6 250 107 283 Coordinates 6 15 S 107 17 E 6 250 S 107 283 E 6 250 107 283Date9 December 1947 75 years ago 1947 12 09 UTC 7 TargetVillagersAttack typeMassacreDeaths431PerpetratorsRoyal Netherlands East Indies Army Contents 1 Background 2 Massacre 3 Aftermath 4 Legacy 5 See also 6 ReferencesBackground EditThe Dutch received international pressure following Operation Product their first police action against the Indonesian Republican forces which led Dutch Lt Governor General Van Mook to order a ceasefire on 5 August 1947 1 Mediated by the Committee of Good Offices CGO a panel of representatives from Australia Belgium and the United States negotiations between the Dutch and Indonesian forces began on 8 December 1947 aboard the USS Renville 2 3 Despite the ongoing negotiations the Dutch continued their campaign against the Indonesian army Massacre EditOn 9 December 1947 a day after the initiation of the Renville negotiation the Dutch army consisting of some 100 conscripts under command of Major Alphons Wijnen attacked Rawagede village and raided houses They had received the order to clean up the village but could not find members of the Indonesia army This triggered them to force people to get out of their homes to be gathered in a field Males above 15 years were ordered to stand side by side and then questioned on the presence of Republic fighters 4 On that day the Dutch army executed 431 people of Rawagede without legal inquiry lawsuit or defense The Dutch army in Rawagede have conducted what they referred to as a summary execution an act which is clearly categorized as a warcrime which is murder of non combatants Aftermath EditThis massacre was also known by The CGO But the commission reaction was limited to critic against the military action which they called deliberate and ruthless without further strict sanction due to human rights abuse let alone treating this massacre against innocent people as war crimes 4 Although Dutch Army General Simon Hendrik Spoor recommended that the responsible officer Major Alphons Wijnen be prosecuted no criminal investigation was started A report from the United Nations published on 12 January 1948 called the killings deliberate and merciless 4 5 Legacy EditOn 8 September 2008 10 widows of victims of the massacre officially held the Netherlands responsible for the massacre The state lawyer replied in a letter published on 24 November 2008 that the Netherlands deeply regrets the massacre but that it believes the term for prosecution had expired This has drawn some criticism among members of the States General of the Netherlands as well as among leading Dutch newspaper NRC Handelsblad which argued in an editorial that there is no such thing as a statute of limitations on war crimes 4 In December 2009 the 10 widows decided to sue the Dutch state in court 5 The court decided on 14 September 2011 that the crime due to its extraordinary nature is not subject to a statute of limitations and thus held the Dutch state fully accountable for the damages caused 5 Following settlement negotiations with the Dutch State the plaintiffs widows of the men executed in Rawagedeh were awarded 20 000 euros each in compensation the State furthermore agreed to extend its formal apologies for the massacre citation needed On 9 December 2011 the Dutch ambassador to Indonesia stated We remember the members of your families and those of your fellow villagers who died 64 years ago through the actions of the Dutch military On behalf of the Dutch government I apologize for the tragedy that took place Only 9 relatives are still alive and will receive 20 000 euros 27 000 compensation each but there is no schedule for these payments 6 The ruling of the judge also included that the Dutch state was responsible because it has the duty to defend its inhabitants which also indicated that the area was part of the Dutch East Indies in contradiction of the Indonesian claim of 17 August 1945 as its date of independence citation needed On 10 July 2012 the massacre received public attention in Netherlands after de Volkskrant published two photos of an execution Those photos are the only images documentation of massacre conducted by Royal Netherlands East Indies Army 4 See also EditDecision by the district court of The Hague 14 September 2011 ECLI NL RBSGR 2011 BS8793 Kuta Reh massacre South Sulawesi campaign of 1946 1947 Rengat massacreReferences Edit Ide Anak Agung Gde Agung 1973 Twenty Years Indonesian Foreign Policy 1945 1965 Mouton amp Co pp 34 35 ISBN 979 8139 06 2 Fischer Louis 1959 The Story of Indonesia London Hamish Hamilton p 102 Kahin 1952 p 224 a b c d e Lorenz Chris 2015 Tamm M ed Can a Criminal Event in the Past Disappear in a Garbage Bin in the Present Dutch Colonial Memory and Human Rights The Case of Rawagede Afterlife of Events London Palgrave Macmillan Memory Studies 219 241 a b c van den Herik Larissa July 2012 Addressing Colonial Crimes through Reparations Adjudicating Dutch Atrocities Committed in Indonesia Journal of International Criminal Justice 10 3 693 705 doi 10 1093 jicj mqs033 Dutch state apologizes for 1947 Indonesia massacre 9 December 2011 Archived from the original on 15 September 2013 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Rawagede massacre amp oldid 1111428465, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
