Indonesia-fleers still owed millions

Dutch people who had to flee Indonesia between 1950 and 1970, numbering 380,000, are still owed millions by the Dutch government, according to journalist Griselda Molemans. Molemans is writing the book Opgevangen in Andijvielucht (Caught in Endive air), the Volkskrant reports. The government's debt comprises matters such as unpaid pensions and salaries of Royal Netherlands East Indies Army (KNIL) military personnel. Banks and insurance companies also have steep debts to redeem. A large chunk of the life insurances and bank credit balances was never paid out.

Molemans bases the information on the report Netherlands Indies Money and Banking from the 17th of June, 1945. The report reveals that insurers in the Dutch Indies, or Dutch East Indies, sold life insurances worth 251.8 million guilders. Many of these insurances were never paid out because authentications were lost.