Dutch State Visit to Indonesia: March 10-13, 2020

[Duc_et_Pair]

The presidential palace once was the residence for the Governor-General of the Netherlands East Indies during the long colonial era. In 1949, the palace was renamed Merdeka Palace. Before that it was known as Het paleis aan het Koningsplein (The palace at King's Square).

The Merdeka Palace is part of a 6.8 hectares (17 acres) palace complex with several colonial buildings which was the center of the Netherlands East Indies executive authority. Since the Independence this complex has the same use, but now for the Indonesian Republic.

[iceflower]

King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima were welcomed in Yogyakarta today, March 11:



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** dm article: Hat's the way to do it! Queen Maxima of the Netherlands continues her parade of elegant..**

[Duc_et_Pair]

Originally Posted by iceflower

King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima were welcomed in Yogyakarta today, March 11:



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That suit by the King...

[Marengo]

It seems they have met sultan Hamengkubuwono X of Yogyakarta, his wife and several of his relatives. The sultan and his wife have five daughters and in 2015 the succession was changed to allow the sultan to be succeeded by his eldest daughter Princess Mangkubumi. Much to the dismay of some junior princes of the family.

Originally Posted by Duc_et_Pair

That suit by the King...

He seems to be swimming in it!

[Duc_et_Pair]

In the 19th C the Netherlands East-Indies Government captured a giant 80 carat diamond from the Sultan of Banjarmasin. It was part of the regalia of the Sultanate of Banjarmasin, which became extinct in 1875 by lack of heirs. Apparently by the dissolving of the state properties, the diamond was destined for the King.

The diamond was not cut. So the King had to invest in the considerable cost of the risky cutting of a diamond of which he was not sure if his fellow prince (the Sultan) really gave it out of free will or it was just colonial loot.

The King refused the diamond and the Government (the Ministry of Colonies) tried to sell it off. For some reasons several attempts to sell it, in Europe and in the East Indies, remained unsuccesful. Anyway, the Government knew nothing better than to have the diamond cut in Amsterdam and to showcase it in the Rijksmuseum as "national pride, treasures from our colonies" and "national pride, exceptional skills in diamond cutting".

Remarkably enough neither the Indonesian Government nor descendants from the Banjarmasin princely family have laid a claim, also not after recent attempts by the Rijksmuseum to transfer it to Indonesia.

So the diamond is still sparkling, in a glass vitrine, without any purpose.

Picture

[iceflower]

On their final day today, March 12, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima arrived in Sumatra:



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** gettyimages: IDN: King Willem-Alexander Of The Netherlands And Queen Maxima - State Visit To Indonesia : Day Three **


** dm article: All wrapped up! Queen Maxima of the Netherlands can't contain her smiles as she's enveloped in a shawl with her husband..**

[Duc_et_Pair]

A State Visit to a country with which the Netherlands has a shared history of 400 years, should have been a major State Visit, to be compared to France, Germany, the UK and the other Benelux countries.

But this State Visit left me totally underwhelmed. The royal couple were not their usual spic-and-span selves. The program was overloaded and chaotic. I do not understand the desire of the royal couple to cram everything in a few days.

Queen Beatrix at least had rest moments. She had a morning event, an afternoon event and an evening event. That was busy enough. But this couple doubles the load by stuffing UN-activities, and a gigantic economic mission, in the agenda. In the meantime flying to Java, to Sumatra, to Borneo, back to Java, etc. Good heavens, slow the tempo a bit, take your time. Or try to avoid having everything in the tight agenda.

No, this State Visit was not what we usually see. No State Banquet. No return event. (Nothing to do with Corona, this was already what was agreed pre-Corona).

[Dalriada]

This monarchy seems to be outstanding with their dignity and commitment towards their own populace and their former colonies

[Marengo]

It was indeed underwhelming and business-like, which seems is what they are going for mostly these days. I am not quite sure if the visit was special for Indonesia. Few people alive lived in/ remember the colonial period. I read that the King's apology was not something that generated attention in the Indonesian press, let alone with the public.

[Dalriada]

Originally Posted by Marengo

It was indeed underwhelming and business-like, which seems is what they are going for mostly these days. I am not quite sure if the visit was special for Indonesia. Few people alive lived in/ remember the colonial period. I read that the King's apology was not something that generated attention in the Indonesian press, let alone with the public.

Yes business as usual. Perhaps looking forward Amalia will inject some human compassion with her Latin blood. Just putting that out there? Hopefully Amalia will state something about Indonesia and the atrocities of the Dutch empire emphatically and not just about Indonesia?

[Duc_et_Pair]

Originally Posted by Dalriada

Yes business as usual. Perhaps looking forward Amalia will inject some human compassion with her Latin blood. Just putting that out there? Hopefully Amalia will state something about Indonesia and the atrocities of the Dutch empire emphatically and not just about Indonesia?

The King has expressed his excuses for the atrocities in the period 1945-1949. Not for the whole colonial period. Even these excuses has earned him irritation and criticism at home. This is the first time in his 7 years long, spotless, kingship that caused criciticism. And no, not from the Opposition, but from within the Coalition itself.

Constitutionally the King is covered by the Premier and the Minister of Foreign Affairs: both took the King's excuses for their political responsibility. But within the Coalition parties there is doubt if the King's words were indeed checked-double checked with the Premier.

Why did the King hit an open nerve? In the period 1945-1949 the KNIL (Royal Netherlands-Indies Army) had 40.000 professional military and no less than an added 200.000 (!) conscripts were sent to the East-Indies to fight the rebellion against Dutch rule.

These 200.000 had no choice. They were conscripts. 17, 18, 19 years old from Brabant, Friesland, Holland, Zealand etc and never ever been so far over sea, to the East Indies.

There were absolutely atrocities: 100.000 Indonesians were killed in these 4 years vs "only" 6.000 Dutch military. The King's excuses were felt as if the Dutch military were war criminals, which led to angered veterans in various programs: "I only served Queen and Fatherland!" or "I did not ask for anything. I became 17 and they put me a gun in the hand I was sent to the East Indies!" There were veterans demonstratively throwing away their honours.

Their main painpoint: why did the King offer his excuses but the other side remained silent? In the period 1942-1945 the East-Indies were occupied by the Japanese. This was a horror for the Dutch, whom were locked up in hellish concentration camps, many died due to torture, neglect, starvation and diseases.

When the East-Indies were liberated in 1945 and Dutch rule restored, now Indonesian rebels chased the Dutch and did the same: they locked the Dutch in former Japanese camps. Again under hellish conditions and again many died due to torture, neglect, starvation and diseases.

This "Bersiap" period led to the death of 35.000 civil Dutch, and "half Dutch" people as well of civilan locals sympathetic to Dutch rule. Indonesia has said no "sorry" for the period 1945-1949. The King did. This has enraged veterans and former East-Indies Dutch residents.

[Dalriada]

Duc! I need to private message you for your knowledge and scholarship. You are indeed a rich reservoir of depth of information for this forum. When it is not fashionable to shout out the barbaric practices of non-european people we are quietly reminded of our veterans and their victim families we are surrounded. I am fondly reminded of Tante Lien of Dutch TV lore who proudly paraded the goodness of Dutch and Indonesian cultures intertwined which the British Commonwealth is trying to do. Unfortunately Harry & Meghan can not do it so wonderfully as Tante Lien. Ps. We are all “dying” to see the London stage version of ‘Soldier of Orange’

https://youtu.be/QyuaSIMS-qs