Netherlands Repatriates 288 Artifacts to Indonesia

The Netherlands has officially repatriated 288 cultural artifacts to Indonesia, which were taken during the colonial era. The handover, taking place at the Wereldmuseum in Amsterdam, includes four Hindu-Buddhist statues from Java and 284 additional items such as weapons, coins, and textiles seized in 1906 following military actions in Bali. Dutch Minister of Culture Eppo Bruins emphasized that these objects should never have been in the Netherlands and described the repatriation as a matter of 'material justice.' This marks the second return of cultural artifacts to Indonesia, following a previous repatriation of nearly 500 items in 2023. The Colonial Collections Committee continues to review further requests for the return of cultural heritage from Indonesia and other former colonies. The trend of returning looted art is gaining momentum across Europe, with several countries reassessing their museum collections.