War veteran haunted by his actions in Indonesia
In this scene from the historic documentary Tabee Toean, a Dutch KNIL veteran remembers with deep remorse how they interrogated suspected Indonesian freedom fighters. The KNIL stands for “Koninklijk Nederlands-Indisch Leger,” which translates to Royal Netherlands East Indies Army. It was the military force of the Netherlands in the Dutch East Indies, now known as Indonesia.
A Dark Chapter: The Police Actions
For every country it is difficult to acknowledge and discuss the dark chapters in its history. These chapters are considered ‘dark’ because they do not fit into the positive image that a country has of itself or wants to portray. For the Netherlands, the police actions in the Dutch East Indies, a former Dutch colony, form such a dark chapter. The Netherlands tends to take pride in being a consensus oriented country, but the fight for Indonesian independence and the police actions highlighted the oppressive nature of Dutch colonial rule.
What Were the Police Actions
The police actions were two military operations carried out by the Netherlands in the Dutch East Indies, present-day Indonesia, between 1945 and 1949, after the latter declared its independence from the Netherlands in 1945. These actions, known as the First (July 21 – August 5, 1947) and Second Police Action (December 19, 1948 – January 5, 1949), aimed to restore Dutch control over the archipelago. These conflicts were part of the Indonesian National Revolution and were internationally criticized, particularly due to numerous reports of human rights abuses and war crimes committed by Dutch soldiers. Ultimately, the police actions did not maintain Dutch authority, and in 1949, the Netherlands formally recognized Indonesian independence.
International Condemnation
In international relations, a police action is a military action undertaken without a formal declaration of war. In the 21st century, the term has been largely supplanted by “counter-insurgency“. The Dutch justified their need for police actions in Indonesia to restore order and protect the Indonesian people from the rebels. However, the world soon discovered that the military activities in Indonesia resulted in an extremely bloody situation, causing tens of thousands of casualties. The Dutch attempts to regain control over Indonesia after World War II were swiftly perceived as an effort to uphold a colonial system that was increasingly seen as unjust and outdated, especially in a post-war world moving towards decolonization and self-determination. As result the Netherlands faced condemnation not only from newly independent countries but also from allies, including the United States. This affected the Netherlands’ international reputation. Finally, due to substantial international pressure from the United Nations, the Dutch government acknowledged Indonesian independence and withdrew its military.