Relatives will also never have to pay for the graves of the first generation of KNIL soldiers in the municipality of Midden-Drenthe. They are given a protected status for an indefinite period of time and cannot be culled. The committee will come up with that proposal tonight. The municipality of Midden-Drenthe follows the example of the municipality of Assen.
This concerns 77 KNIL graves in Hooghalen, 70 KNIL graves in Bovensmilde and 100 children’s graves in Hooghalen. They would initially receive protected status for thirty years, with retroactive effect from 2020. But the Board has now decided to give the status indefinitely, at the insistence of the committee.
Otto Tatipikalawan is happy with that choice, but it is not a surprise. “It was already prepared in such a way that the municipality of Midden-Drenthe could not lag behind Assen. They started the project together. You cannot scratch your head with the next of kin in 27 years (when the rights expire, ed.) : What was it again? Then the whole fight has to be fought again. That is madness.”
Bob Souisa, who tells his story on behalf of the working group, speaks of a ‘historic moment’ tonight. “To finally give our fathers recognition after 72 for their loyalty to the Netherlands by giving them a special status,” he says. His family, like many other families, was forced to come to the Netherlands 72 years ago and lived in a residential area in poor conditions, awaiting their return.
“In the residential areas we lived consciously isolated from Dutch society for years, after all, the stay would only be temporary,” says Souisa. “We had to sleep on straw mattresses and eat from the soup kitchen. Our parents had a hard time getting used to the living environment. It was cold in the barracks. As a result, there are families who lost several children in a short time. We advocate a monument in their memory , our brothers and sisters. Our parents experienced it as a humiliation and trauma.”
His story clearly impresses committee members and it can count on unanimous support. “Actually, the government should pronounce the national recognition,” says Martin Leistra on behalf of the entire committee. “But they are not that far yet and have returned it to the municipalities. As the municipality of Midden-Drenthe, we do not want to wait for this. We hope to be able to ease the suffering somewhat.”
The respect for the Moluccan community is also evident upon departure. In a long line from the stands, the many relatives, including Souisa and those involved, are congratulated and thanked.
Tatipikalawan also hopes for action from The Hague. “I actually think it’s crazy that you have to start fighting this battle seventy years later in 60 to 70 Moluccan municipalities in this country. That you have to have conversations in sixty places, have to do preliminary work, come into contact with councils, have to mobilize people to raise it. While a national scheme would have been much easier. Rutte should have worked on it.”
The decision will be made final on April 20. Then the subject is put on the agenda as a hammer piece.