Netherlands Returns RI's Wealth, Puan: It Should Be

Photo by Jo Marijual Guimarprimes on Unsplash

JAKARTA - The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Puan Maharani, welcomed the return of 472 historical artifacts to Indonesia by the Dutch government. He stressed that all historical relics of the nation and state in other countries must be returned to their homeland.

"It should be a historical heritage back to the motherland. This is a legacy that we must protect and fight for together, so that our children and grandchildren will be able to see how the history of this nation is formed," said Puan, Monday, July 10.

A total of 472 historical objects returned by the Netherlands consisted of 355 Lombok treasures, 4 statues of Singasari, 1 kris Klungkung, and 132 collections of Maha Bands in the form of works of art. The return of these historical objects took place at the Volkenkunde Museum, Leiden City, Netherlands, where Indonesia was represented by the Director General of Culture of the Ministry of Education and Culture-Research and Higher Education (Kemendikbud Research-Dikti), Hilmar Farid.

Puan also reminded that historical items returned to Indonesia should be maintained properly.

Keep and care for historical relics who return to their homeland as much as possible in domestic museums. Don't just ask to be returned, but not kept," said Puan.

Puan appreciated the good intentions of the Dutch government which finally returned the treasure of Indonesia. This is the second time that the Dutch colonial era has been returned.

In 1977, the Dutch Government returned 235 artifacts, some of which were looted by the Dutch during the Lombok War in 1894. The objects returned included keris, heirlooms and the State of Religion book.

"I appreciate the good things that the Dutch government continues to do. This also shows the relationship between the two countries is very closely established. This is also proof that we have put aside the past historical ones," said Puan.

With the return of Indonesia's treasure by the Netherlands, the former Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture also encouraged the Government to continue to collect other Indonesian historical relics. One of them, according to Puan, was the ancient Javanese human skeleton discovered by Dutch paleoanthropologist Eugene Dubois around East Java in the 1890s period.

"The steps of persuasion must continue to be put forward so that we can get evidence of the civilization of the past of our nation," he said.

"I continue to encourage every step taken by the Government in collecting historical objects that still exist in other countries. The historic object to be returned is proof of the realm of cultural wealth in the archipelago," continued Puan.

Currently, the ancient human skeleton is still stored in the Center for Biological Diversity museum in Leiden City. However, the Dutch are still reluctant to give up on the grounds that ancient Javanese humans will not be found without Dubois' initiatives and services.

Even so, the DPR appreciates the efforts of the Dutch Government which continues to show good faith to the Indonesian people. Apart from the return of these historical items, the Dutch government some time ago also acknowledged that Indonesia's Independence Day falls on August 17, 1945.

Previously, the Netherlands acknowledged that Indonesia's independence was not August 17, 1945, but on December 27, 1945, based on the Roem-Van Roijen Agreement. Puan hopes that the series of good faith from the Netherlands will strengthen relations between the two countries.

"The good intentions that the Dutch continue to carry out will have an impact on the cooperation between Indonesia and the Netherlands and increase diplomatic relations based on the principle of kinship," he explained.

Puan assessed that Indonesia's closeness to the Netherlands was a necessity. This was triggered by the fact that Indonesia and the Netherlands were historically and culturally bound.

"Indonesian-Dutch relations have long entered several phases, which in recent years, more and more Indonesians and the Dutch have realized cultural and historical similarities that can unite each other," said Puan.

In addition, according to the grandson of the Proclaimer of the Republic of Indonesia Bung Karno, many Indonesians and the Dutch found that they had the same traces of ancestors. Puan highlighted how many Indonesians had ancestors from the Netherlands through mixed marriages or family ties that existed during the colonial period.

Likewise, not a few Dutch people have found traces of their ancestors from Indonesia through colonization and cultural contact that have existed for centuries. According to Puan, this phenomenon should be used for something positive.

"The closer relationship between some. Indonesians and the Dutch thanks to the same ancestors marks positive steps in building understanding and inter-cultural cooperation," he explained.