Java massacre relatives in court

Seven widows, one daughter and a survivor of the massacre of hundreds of men from the village of Rawagede in Indonesia are again taking the Dutch state to court on Wedneday, calling for compensation and official recognition of the actions of Dutch soldiers.


The claim was rejected by the attorney general a year ago because it was too old.
Indonesia, a former Dutch colony, was granted sovereignty in 1949 after an armed struggle. In 1947, Dutch soldiers executed a group of around 431 men and boys in the West Java village of Rawagede. Official papers estimate the number of men killed at Rawagede (now called Balongsari) at 150.
Last December, the Dutch ambassador to Indonesia attended a memorial service for the victims. It was the first time a representative of the Dutch government attended the annual event.

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