Should the Netherlands apologise for its colonial mistakes?

Oliver Evrot and Stef Foppele TG3G

MRX

We think the Netherlands should not apologise to Indonesia

First of all, the cruelties the Netherlands have done during the Indonesian war of Independence have
happened a long time ago, almost 80 years. So, it is a little bit late to make excuses now.

Secondly, there are now other people in the Dutch government, and so it is not the same
government as it was back then. This government can't be blamed, as it didn't exist during the time
the cruelties have been imposed.

And thirdly, apologising would be a crime to those who fought in the war of independence for the
Netherlands. Not only the Dutch themselves, but also the local people who supported the Dutch,
who sometimes were more loyal to the queen than the Dutch themselves. All those soldiers, still
alive, how would they feel? They were soldiers, loyal to their nation. It's the government from that
time to blame, not the current government. They were soldiers, and had to follow orders, from
another government that had other ideas, and other people, in a different time. Those soldiers would
feel bad, betrayed. They were loyal and sacrificed themselves, and now, 80 years later, the Dutch
government suddenly will apologise, and their bravery, their loyalty and their sacrifices will be
shattered, feeling like they're being spit straight in their faces.

Some people will say: 'But it's better to make late excuses than none at all.'

But real, well-meant, and so respectful, excuses should be made by the perpetrators. By the
government from that time, that gave the orders. But now there's another government. And that's
not the government that should make its excuses, because it is not the current government that
caused the events that happened during the Indonesian war of independence. It's the government
from that time, and if you can't go back in time, it's too late to get excuses from them. It is too late,
because no people in the Netherlands have something to do with what happened back then in
Indonesia, except for those soldiers, that were loyal.

Conclusion

We are against apologizing, because the event took place a long time ago, it isn’t the same time,
government and we can’t downplay the sacrifices and good actions of the soldiers who got the
wrong orders. The soldiers would feel betrayed, if we were to apologise about ‘their’ actions. They
were just following the then government’s orders.