Dutch East Indies murders cost Netherlands add'l €160k

The State is paying a 20 thousand euro compensation to another eight widows from Sulawesi. Their husbands were executed by Dutch soldiers in the former Dutch East Indies. Another eight widows received compensation earlier after they went to court late last year. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced today that Foreign Minister Frans Timmermans (PvdA) and his colleague from Defense Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert (VVD) are not delaying the payment of compensation now that it is clear that these women are eligible for it. In late November the court will decide whether the widows are also entitled to reimbursement of the process costs. Besides this group of eight women, a number of other claims are still pending. These are about 10 claims that are insufficiently substantiated. The lawyer has now provided further information so that the cases can be reviewed. The women appealed to the scheme which the Cabinet presented last year after the court had granted damages to the widows of victims from South Sulawesi and Rawagede. The scheme is intended to pay damages to the widows of victims of summary executions "of comparable severity and nature". This amounts to a fixed amount of 20 thousand euro per widow.