The city council of Assen has unanimously decided that 180 Moluccan KNIL graves in the provincial capital will be given a special status. This means that they no longer have to pay burial duties for an indefinite period of time. Initially that would be for thirty years, but the council proposal has changed that.
Since 2020, the municipalities involved have been talking to a local Moluccan working group about the KNIL graves at the cemeteries in Assen and Midden-Drenthe. In Midden-Drenthe, the proposal is on the agenda in April.
Because the municipality of Assen has been in talks since 2020, it has been decided that the special status will take effect retroactively from 1 January 2020. People who have paid the grave fees after January 1, 2020 will receive that amount back. In total, this concerns 55,000 euros.
At tonight’s council meeting, the gallery was packed with people interested in the item on the agenda. ‘Recognition, respect and peace, I think that’s what it’s all about,’ began chairman Tjerk Medenblik. Mayor Marco Out – portfolio holder of this subject – moved up a place for the occasion.
The working group with which the municipality has been talking since 2020 was allowed to speak for the council. “It is a special and historic moment for the community in Assen and Bovensmilde. After 72 years, our KNIL fathers and wives are receiving the recognition and appreciation they deserve for the graves at the Boskamp cemetery,” said an emotional Mr. Souisa.
“There are still three women left from the first generation and they will experience this: that recognition will come.” Souisa concluded his speech by expressing confidence to the council. “We hope that the council will agree to this proposal. We express our gratitude for this special gesture.”
The entire council was unanimous this evening, which is why one council member also took the floor: Henk Santing of city party PLOP. “We understand that these people want recognition for the suffering they have suffered. This status means that the graves are not cleared and the dues are not paid. Recognition and eternal rest, that is what they deserve.”
Santing did ask himself, however, whether this council proposal provided a sufficient answer to the working group’s call. The original council proposal was that the grave rights did not have to be transferred for thirty years, in order to discuss renewal afterwards.
But the council disagreed with the proposal. “In thirty years we will be a lot further away from the past. Many who then have to ask for recognition of a grave will no longer be there. We can only give that worthy recognition in this time, because this matter requires eternal rest. That is why we would like to convert those thirty years into a proposal without an end date.”
Santing concluded his contribution with a request to the municipality of Midden-Drenthe: “We hope that Midden-Drenthe also follows these steps.”
Out also thought it was a special moment. “A council that speaks with one voice and clearly submits a request. But it would of course have been better if it could be arranged nationally in one go. It is nice to see that the council is unanimous and fully behind the proposal.”
“Nationally, we are not succeeding in drawing attention to this subject. You are succeeding in giving the recognition and attention”, Mr. Matahelumual, spokesperson for the working group, reacted emotionally. “We are just thankful that we are now getting the emotional recognition our parents have been asking for.”
Hoogeveen decided earlier this week that the graves of 35 first generation KNIL soldiers will be given a special status. In that municipality no burial rights have to be transferred for the next thirty years, for both the soldiers and their partners.
In addition, Hoogeveen is making an amount of 50,000 euros available to facilitate the establishment of a Moluccan foundation. The money will be used to pay attention to the story of the Moluccans in the Netherlands at cemeteries.