The Netherlands has decided to return hundreds of precious objects taken from Indonesia and Sri Lanka during the colonial period.
Some of them are a bronze cannon encrusted with precious stones and many jewels known as the "Treasures of Lombok".
The decision was made at a time when the Netherlands is increasingly confronting its colonial past.
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Other countries, burdened by their infamous colonial past, have in recent years begun to return stolen valuables.
One example is the return of Benin bronzes from British and German museums to Nigeria.
They were stolen from this African country during the great British military expedition in 1897.
"This is the first time we are returning objects that should never have been in the Netherlands," stated Gunaj Uslu, Minister of Culture.
"But we're not just bringing back objects, we're actually starting an era where we're going to work more closely with Indonesia and Sri Lanka."
Among the collections going to Indonesia is the so-called "Treasure from Lombok".
It consists of many jewels, precious stones, gold and silver taken from the royal palace on the Indonesian island of Lombok in 1894 by the Dutch colonial army.
A lavishly decorated bronze cannon from the 18th century, which is currently on display in an Amsterdam museum, will arrive in Sri Lanka.
It is believed to have been a gift exchanged between two Sri Lankan aristocrats and ended up in the hands of Dutch soldiers in 1765.
The government acts according to the recommendations presented in the report of the Dutch Committee for the Research of Works of Art Taken During the Colonial Era, stated the Minister of Culture.
The committee, established in 2020, called on the government to "unconditionally return" all cultural objects stolen from former Dutch colonies if states request it.
"The Netherlands must take responsibility for its colonial past.
"Recognizing and correcting this injustice must become a key guiding principle when considering art collections from the colonial period," the report states.
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In recent years, the Netherlands has been struggling more openly with its colonial heritage.
On Saturday, King William-Alexander officially apologized for the role of the Netherlands in the slave trade and said that it "personally affects him a lot".
This European country became a major colonial power after the 17th century and held territories around the world.
They were also notorious as slave traders.
According to some data, more than 600.000 people passed through the hands of the Dutch slave traders.
Return of Benin Bronze to Nigeria:
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