Indonesia has asked the Netherlands to return historical treasures that were previously in its museums, especially the Java Man Museum. Meanwhile, an independent Dutch commission is conducting "source-investigation" for some of the historical collections.
Indonesia, the former Dutch colony, asked the Netherlands to return eight works of art and collections of natural history in a number of its museums, especially the famous "Java Man," the Dutch government announced Tuesday.
"Java Man", the first fossil of Homo erectus ever excavated, consists of fossilized remains found between 1891 and 1892 by the Dutchman Jochen Dubois on the island of Java, which was part of the Dutch East Indies.
Dubois was searching for the "missing link" between apes and humans, according to the Naturalis Museum of Natural History in Lyde, western Holland, where the fossils are on display.
In addition to the "Dubois collection", which includes forty thousand pieces, Indonesia especially claims the "Lombok treasure," according to what the Dutch Ministry of Culture told Agence France-Presse, confirming information published by the local newspaper, De Trouve.
This "treasure" consists of "a large amount of precious stones and gold and silver ornaments", under the supervision of the National Museum of Ethnology, according to the newspaper "De Trouve".
At the request of Indonesia last summer, a "source-finding search" is expected, ministry spokesman Jules van de Ven said, noting that an independent commission tasked with "repatriation of colonial groups" will begin its research in December. before providing an advisory opinion on the case to the government.
"I can't predict how long that will take," he added.
In recent years, the Netherlands has begun to look at its colonial history, especially with regard to Indonesia, which was formerly known as the Dutch East Indies.
The Asian archipelago, ruled by the Netherlands for three centuries, declared its independence in August 1945. Dutch recognition of the country's independence was delayed until 1949, after four years of bloody battles.
The Netherlands apologized last February, after a study revealed that the Dutch army had resorted to systematic practices involving "super violence" in confronting the fighters for the independence of Indonesia.