Dutch mistakes: Things of the past

Lately the name of Minister of Justice and Human Rights, Yusril Ihza Mehendra, appears quite often in articles in newspapers. Not without reason of course.

First he wants to change the visa system for tourists visiting Indonesia. In short, tourists entering Indonesia have to pay a fee and can only stay in Indonesia for one month, instead of two months like it is now. A lot of people working in the tourist industry understand that this will not benefit Indonesian tourism figures.

Second, Yusril wants to approve a new criminal code that implements parts of the Islamic law, sharia. One of The Jakarta Post's readers already wrote a letter Return to dark ages. Homosexuality, sodomy, living as a couple without being married and oral sex are home affairs and not something that the government should be involved with.

Third and last is the next point. It did not get so much attention in the Indonesian media, but it did in the Netherlands. And actually, the Indonesian government is not happy at all with this point.

Recently there was this remarkable interview with Yusril for Dutch television. He told the interviewer that he hated the Dutch for what they had done during their colonial period. According to Yusril, the Dutch attitude was still the same these days. For that, he would give all European countries a visa on arrival, except for the Dutch. They should apply at the Indonesian embassy in The Hague.

As a Dutch citizen, I am really ashamed of what my country did during the military actions in the years 1948 and 1949. We all make mistakes, big or small. But do not blame people that did not take part in these military actions. According to most Indonesian people that I know it is just something of the past.

In the end I would like to draw your attention to the following. Although your country is not the safest place in the world, it is still the Dutch that come to Indonesia. Many of the other countries that normally have tourists traveling around here have negative travel warnings; The United States, Britain, Australia. In relative numbers most visitors to Indonesia are the Dutch. Just like me, they come, year in, year out, just because they love Indonesia and its people.

N. SMIT, Jakarta