DHAKA: The Netherlands has made a formal public apology for thousands of summary executions carried out by Dutch troops in its former colony of Indonesia.

Dutch ambassador to Indonesia Tjeerd de Zwaan apologised for the ‘excesses committed by Dutch forces’ between 1945 and Indonesia’s independence in 1949.

A UN report at the time condemned the killings as deliberate and ruthless, reports the BBC.

The Hague has previously apologised and paid compensation in certain cases, but this was the first general apology.

The ceremony took place at the Dutch embassy in Jakarta, with several relatives of the victims and embassy workers in attendance.

None of the victims’ widows was present as they live in Sulawesi and were too frail or ill to travel to the capital, Dutch public broadcaster NOS reported.

The Indonesian government was not represented.

‘The Dutch government is aware that it bears a special responsibility in respect of Indonesian widows of victims of summary executions,’ Zwaan said.

‘Sometimes it is very important to be able to look back in order to be able to look one another straight in the eyes and be able to move forward together - and that of course is what this public apology and ceremony is all about,’ he said.

BDST: 1708 HRS, SEPT 12, 2013
RoR/RIS