BandungBergerak.id - 

Bandung, August 28, 2023

Your Majesty King Willem-Alexander

Noordeinde Palace, Postbus 30412, 2500 GK Den Haag, The Netherlands

With honor,

May the heat wave that has affected parts of Europe soon be over and the sun bring natural warmth to all the people of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Your Majesty,

My name is Hilma Safitri, a citizen from the Republic of Indonesia. A few years ago, I had opportunity to study in Netherlands, and until this day I consider it as one of the best parts of my life.

In recent days I have been following with concern the news about a local land dispute between about 300 families living in Dago Elos, Bandung -against- three Indonesian citizens, including Heri Hermawan Muller, Dodi Rustendi Muller, and Pipin Sandepi Muller, and a private company, PT Dago Inti Graha. The three Muller brothers claimed to have inherited this bloodline from their father, Edi Eduard Muller who they claimed was heir of George Hendrik Muller, heir of George Hendrikus Wilhelmus Muller.

The last-mentioned name they believe, and is mentioned in one of the documents presented in court, as “a Dutch relative of Queen Wilhelmina assigned in Indonesia”.

For me, the statement does not sound convincing. I have my suspicions that they are making untrue statements, deliberately linking themselves to the Dutch Royal Family in order to take advantage of various benefits including economic ones. With this letter, I would like to attract Your Majesty’s attention and ask two questions. First, is the Muller family related to the Dutch Royal Family? Secondly, is it true that Queen Wilhelmina once commissioned George Hendrikus Wilhelmus Muller?

Once again, based on the news that I have been following about the dispute in Dago Elos, the residents of Dago Elos and their legal team have actually conducted a search about the truth of the Muller family’s claims, and they found that George Hendrikus Wilhelmus Muller, born in Salatiga in 1842, did live in Indonesia. However, there is no evidence that he was a relative of the Dutch Royal Family. Some information suggest that George Hendrikus Wilhelmus Muller worked as an administrator at the private plantation Sindangwangi, in the (then) Preanger region. These sources, however, do not necessarily suggest that he was assigned to Indonesia (then Dutch East Indes) by Queen Wilhelmina. Moreover, there is no historical evidence to support this claim.

Your Majesty,

As I write this letter, I am recalling Your Majesty’s statement in July 2023, which admitted and apologized for the Dutch involvement in the slave trade in the colonies of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the last century. I also respect the Dutch government’s decision to return 1500 historical artifacts to Indonesia.

With all due respect, I ask Your Majesty to once again show your generosity and wisdom to reveal the historical truth. Your Majesty’s responses to above two questions are highly anticipated by all the families in Dago Elos, who are currently threatened with being evicted from the neighborhood they have lived in for many years.

Sincerely,

Hilma Safitri

 

*Translated from this article by Khumaira Birru Al Walidain