Remembering Cruelty Raymond Westerling

40,000 Victims Monument

Dutch colonial occupation in Makassar (South Sulawesi) Indonesia has a track record that is very bleak. It's ironic, at a time when every region in Indonesia celebrated the proclamation of independence, the people of Sulawesi actually have to face a military operation conducted Depot troops under the command Troepen Speciale Raymond Westerling. Historically, such Westerling force's mission is to "clean up" those who are considered rebels and pro will be the Republic of Indonesia.

Every village in South Sulawesi not escape from military operations carried Westerling, so the innocent victims falling from various villages. Even more appalling, Westerling not only give the command but also shooting at people whom he considered as terrorists, criminals, and murderers. Until within a year occupation KNIL troops in South Sulawesi, recorded more than 40,000 people have died in vain. The peak occurred on December 11, 1947, because that every December 11, the people of Sulawesi always remember atrocities Westerling to fly the flag at half-mast in homes.

In memory of those terrible events, Sulawesi local government to build a monument called the Monument to the Fallen 40,000 souls or people used to call it by the name of Victims Monument Westerling. This monument is located on the road Langgau, to the north of the city of Makassar is not far from the Field Karebosi.


Entering the site visitors will find a great relief that tells the story of Raymond Westerling cruelty to the people of South Sulawesi. On the side there is a sculpture reliefs measuring about 5 meters high. The statue depicts the suffering; legged stump and supported. In other parts of the castle and gardens are filled with flowers.

According to guard the monument, first around the monument there is one hole where Westerling victims buried in mass graves. However, the holes have now been closed and generally should not be shown again, the reason all these bitter memories have been buried and do not need to be shown back.

According to him, lately Victims Monument Soul 40,000 more rarely visited by people of Sulawesi alone or Indonesian society in general. Perhaps this is due to the existence of other, more modern entertainment rather than visiting the monument. This needs serious attention from the government to want to promote and improve existing facilities, so that this monument is not only a mere sweetener city alone. Because of places like this sense of nationalism we as a nation can be improved, it is becoming important as well as the cultural shield invidualis stiff resistance to the attitude of the people of Indonesia that lately more dominant. [Source> IndonesiaKaya]

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