“The World is Indonesia Now”

by Colson on Dec. 1, 2008, under economics, indonesia, politics
Comments so far:4

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Indonesia has been there before.   And it took the country nine years to recover.

The wise and sensible Paul Krugman’s said: “the world is Indonesia now”. He was referring to Indonesia’s economical crises, which did hit  Asia and particularly Indonesia, a decade ago.  Like the US and Europe now, in ’97 it also was all about going for the quick buck , dealing in derivatives, speculation (against weak currencies then, against weak system banks now) and mismanaging the risks. Even the concept of crony capitalism may be applied in both cases: there is only a thin line between membership of  boards of banks and membership of governments in Western capitals, like there was only a very thin line between the Suharto family and business.

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Dutch War Crimes

by Colson on Nov. 25, 2008, under indonesia
Comments so far:4

Just some quotes from the International Edition of NRC-Handelsblad 25.11.08:

In an incident during the five years of guerrilla warfare before Indonesia won its independence, Dutch soldiers executed a group of around 431 men and boys in the West Java village of Rawagede on December 9, 1947.

……

In a civil case started against the Dutch state in September, a survivor and nine widows of those killed in Rawagede demanded an official apology and damages but the Dutch attorney general has rejected the claim.

In a letter to their lawyers on Monday, the attorney general said the claim has been rejected because: “the state does not have information about the individual circumstances and the fate of widows and other family members of the clients”. Instead the state has offered to discuss the situation with the claimants.

Executions regretted

The Indonesians’ lawyer is “moderately positive” with this offer and will wait until talks have taken place before deciding whether to continue with legal action.

……

The attorney general told the survivor of the massacre and family members of those killed that the state “very much” regretted the executions.

Update:

Today, 26.11.08,  there was an editorial on the matter with which I sympathize. These are the concluding paragraphs:

“There is no statute of limitations on war crimes. The international community, including the Netherlands, have made a point of abolishing it over the last decades.

It does not matter that the military campaigns in Indonesia was not officially a war, in reality this is exactly what it was. And the fact that Indonesia itself, struggling to come to terms with its own violent post-colonial history, has chosen not to make a big issue out of Rawagede, is not an argument either.

Money can not undo past wrongs. But paying compensation would be a just settlement that would at least deliver moral justice to both victims and perpetrators on both sides of the war. There is no statute of limitations on history“.

Don’t Save Me

by Colson on Nov. 17, 2008, under art, music
Comments so far:3

Last weekend he won the most prestigious national prize in his profession: the Poelifinario-Cabaretprijs. If you don’t believe me check it here (well, it helps if you can read Dutch). His name is Maarten van Roozendaal and he is one of my favorites – which I can prove also. On this site I enthusiastically reviewed his performances here, here and here (pay no attention to the atavar, I abused my daughter’s picture).

Now I think it’s about time I let the world know what the high standard of some of our national singer-songwriters is.  Okay, I should add: in my opinion.  But the jury that awarded the prize to Maarten van Roozendaal also said that he  ‘laughs at the face of our derailed civilization’ and does so awfully poetical , nicely cynical and yet very sensitive. Well then, who am I to contradict them. Read More

Special Edition: The end

by Pelopor on Nov. 14, 2008, under politics, ramblings
Comments so far:6

yesmen-logoSoms shocking news today: the war in Iraq is over. Bush turns out to be a traitor and ms Rice says she’s sorry. You can read all about it here in this free special edition www.nytimes-se.com

No, thank you.

by Colson on Nov. 13, 2008, under politics
Comments so far:6

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During the euphoria I seem to have said that Europe could do with a politician like Barack Obama. On second thought – and after reading this cover story in one of our weeklies – I realize this is, apart from being nonsensical, also a serious error of judgment.

If he really would be our President elect, we could brace for an overkill of change.  He would target some of the gems of our society . Yes, he could.

Of course he would abolish that charming relic of our feudal times, the Kingdom. He is convinced follower of the republican system. So goodbye to our gorgeous Princess Maxima.  No more Queen’s day. And no longer our national squads, teams, sportsmen and sportswomen would wear the outstanding traditional orange shirts in international competitions.

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