Dutch Govt Apologizes for 1947 Indonesian Massacre

[ The Jakarta Post ] 10 Dec

The Netherlands has officially apologized to relatives of victims killed in Rawagede village during Indonesia’s struggle to keep its independence more than six decades ago. About 430 villagers were killed by the Dutch troops on Dec. 9, 1947.

Dutch Ambassador to Indonesia Tjeerd de Zwaan presided over a tearful ceremony on Friday, attended by hundreds of villagers including surviving widows in their late 80s and early 90s, to issue an official apology from the Dutch state for its responsibility in the Rawagede Massacre.

“Today, we remember your family members who died 64 years ago at the hands of the Dutch military troops. On behalf of Dutch government, I deeply apologize for the tragedy,” Ambassador de Zwaan is quoted as saying.

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ETA announces "cease of warfare" with France and Spain

Full Story: Pravda 9 November 2011

ETA - long since in war with France and Spain has announced a "cease of warfare" with both countries. But this however does not mean that the Basque separatist problem (especially in Spanish territory) has been solved, reports Pravda. The announcement came after a October 20 ETA message through the Basque newspaper Gara:

"ETA is resolutely stopping its military activities and armed struggle for independence and calls on the Government of Spain and France to begin the negotiation process to resolve the conflic."

In the meanwhile, one of ETA's former leaders Francisco Javier Garcia Gastell was sentenced to 105 years in prison by a Spanish court on November 7.

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