Mariëtte Wolf (NIOD) about the exclusion of K.U.K.B.

On March 9, 2022 the Dutch research team informed the Dutch government about the results of the study they conducted between 2017 and 2022. In this clip Mariëtte Wolf (NIOD) explains why there was no Indonesian representation in the so-called ‘Klankbordgroep’ (Social Focus Group). The reason they excluded Indonesians (the perspective of the victims) was because it was a ‘Dutch Focus Group’. Hence, Jeffry Pondaag, chair person of Komite Utang Kehormatan Belanda (Committee of Dutch Honorary Debts, K.U.K.B.) was not asked to take part. The latter exclusion is extra painful because the research was initiated as a direct result of the successful court cases of K.U.K.B. against the Dutch State. 

Quite remarkably, Mariëtte Wolf refers to the Round Table Discussion of 2019 as if it was their initiative, suggesting that they were so good and open-minded to meet up with the critics. However, this closed meeting was only organized after a lengthy and difficult email exchange between Pondaag and the researchers. Initially the research team only wanted a small private meeting, not a public debate as the critics insisted. Besides, it was not just Pondaag as an individual who was critical of this research. In 2017 he wrote an open letter together with Francisca Pattipilohy, which was signed by 138 people and organizations. This letter and the criticism has been largely ignored in the Netherlands.