Indonesia Seeks Dialogue with Netherlands on Colonial-Era Cultural Objects

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia welcomed the publication of an independent investigation into more than 1,000 colonial-era objects held in the Royal Collections of the Netherlands. The report, released by the House of Orange-Nassau Historic Collections Trust (SHVON), is seen as an important step toward addressing unresolved issues surrounding colonial cultural heritage.

Based on the release received by RRI Voice of Indonesia, in Jakarta, Monday, June 1, 2026Indonesia's Ministry of Culture praised SHVON for conducting a provenance investigation into the collection. The ministry said the initiative demonstrates a commitment to transparency, historical accountability, and efforts to clarify the origins of objects acquired during the colonial period.

The investigation found that most of the objects entered the royal collection through gifts or donations. However, the report also identified several items that may have been acquired unlawfully or under unjust circumstances linked to colonial military campaigns and wartime seizures.

Among the objects highlighted are a firearm belonging to Raden Intan of the Keratuan Darah Putih kingdom in Lampung, which was taken after a battle with Dutch forces in 1856. The report also points to an Acehnese shield believed to have been obtained during a Dutch military expedition in Samalanga in 1877.

Indonesia's Minister of Culture, Fadli Zon, described the findings as an important milestone in advancing historical justice and strengthening cooperation between Indonesia and the Netherlands on colonial heritage issues. “We welcome the results of this independent investigation as an important step toward transparency and historical justice. Indonesia hopes to begin discussions with the Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands regarding objects identified in the report as having strong indications of being war booty or having been acquired unlawfully,” he said.

According to him, the objects identified in the report should be further discussed within an agreed repatriation framework between the two countries. He added that items deemed to have been obtained unlawfully or unfairly should be returned to Indonesia as part of broader efforts to restore historical justice.

As a follow-up measure, the Ministry of Culture's Repatriation Team will conduct a detailed assessment of the investigation's findings. The government also plans to send formal communications to relevant parties to initiate discussions on the return of Indonesian cultural objects listed in the report.

The minister is also scheduled to meet with the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Indonesia to discuss possible cooperation in the repatriation process. “We hope this investigation will serve as a foundation for constructive dialogue and lead to concrete steps in resolving colonial heritage issues between Indonesia and the Netherlands,” Fadli said.