.Sunday, July 15, 2007@ 4:29 PM Y
In your opinion, what could have prevented the Maria Hertogh riots in 1950? Give at least 2 suggestions.Maria Hertogh's riots which broke out in 1950 were mainly due to the custody battle over a 13-year-old girl, Maria Bertha Hertogh. She was born in Java in 1937 to Dutch Catholic parents. During the Japanese Occupation, she came under the care of a Malay woman, Che Aminah, who brought Maria up as a Muslim. In 1949, Adeline Hertogh, Maria's mother, came to claim her daughter back. This case was brought to the High Court in Singapore. The court ruled that Maria be returned to her natural parents. However, Che Aminah opposed the decision and sent an appeal. Two months later, Maria was returned to Che Aminah. At the age of 13, Maria went through a marriage ceremony with a Malay teacher.
In November 1950, the battle for custody continued. The court ruled that Maria should be returned to her natural parents and announced that the Dutch law did not recognise Maria's marriage as she was under-aged and her natural father's consent was not obtained. This in turn upset the Muslim community because they felt that Muslim law was not respected. Meanwhile, the court put Maria in the care of a Catholic convent in Thomson Road. Reporters and photographers entered the convent to take pictures of Maria who had knelt in worship before the statue of Virgin Mary. In Muslim eyes the worship of images of any kind is not acceptable and thus, inflamed Muslims feelings.
On 11 December 1950, the court once again sat to hear Maria's case but the judge rejected the appeal in the end. The supporters of Aminah who gathered outside the court at Padang felt betrayed by what they saw as the British taking sides with the Dutch, started to riot. About 18 people were killed and 173 were injured during the riot.
In my opinion, the government should send police to maintain order even before the hearing; send police to be on standby. So that in case of any mishaps or tragedies would not take place. If they had done so, the riot might not have happened and many loss of lives could be prevented. Also, reporters should not be allowed into the Catholic convent to take photographs or make any report. Because some reporters are bias and exaggerating at times, so even if Maria was not kneeling in worship of Virgin Mary, the reporters might exaggerate the matter and make people believe that she did that, not showing respect to the Muslims. In conclusion, if more precautions could be take, this whole riot could have been prevented and lives would not be lost.
