Mrs Widow.

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The 9th of December 1947, nearly the complete male population of the village of Rawagede in Indonesia, was killed by Dutch soldiers. Eight widows and the only male survivor sued the Dutch government in 2009. In May 2010 the Dutch government pleaded guilty though she stated the case statute-barred, and plaintiffs had no right to compensation. Nevertheless, on September 2011, plaintiffs won their case. During the annual ceremony to commemorate the massacre, the Dutch government apologized to the people of Rawagede. The widows received € 20.000,00 each. <br /> Rawagede (Big swamp) nowadays is called Balongsari (Beautiful pond). The village is situated seventy kilometers east of Jakarta. There is no sewerage system. Cemetary of honour in Balongsari, where many men who died in the massacre were reburied. Balongsari was formerly called Rawagede. Ibu Taswi, born 5 October 1930:`My father in law carried my husbands body home. He was shot in his head, blood was running from his ear. My mother in law burried him in our backyard. I could not stop crying. That is all I remember. I had nowhere to go because I had a baby to care for. I went to live with my parents again.` The men were on their way to work on the rice-fields when they were killed. Ibu Tijeng binti Tasim, born 23 September 1927:`I recognized his t-shirt and sarung, he was shot in his neck. I wrapped him in cloths, dug a hole in my backyard and, incessantly crying, buried him between the mango and coconut trees.` Ibu Tijeng binti Tasim, born 23 September 1927:`I wrapped him in cloths, dug a hole in my backyard and, incessantly crying, buried him between the mango and coconut trees.` Ibu Wanti binti Dodo, born 9 September 1919:`I found the body of my husband Enap near the river. He was schot from behind. With the help of four girlfriends we carried his body, on a bamboo bench serving as a strecher, home. I washed him, wrapped his body in sheets from the bed and burried him myself.` Ibu Lasmi binti Kasilan, born 16 September 1921:`I was at home the day the Dutch soldiers came. Around sunrise my husband Wasa was shot from behind in his neck. I was seven months pregnant when he died. Because I had been carrying bodies I had a miscarriage. There was no medical aid.` Ibu Cawi binti Baisan, born 10 January 1928:`We found my husband laying on his back. He was shot in his head, left above his ear. My father, father in law and I carried his body home and burried him in the garden. I was very sad and could not forget my husband. It took years to forget him. I left my home and moved in with my parents again.` Ibu Wisah binti Silan, born 18 June 1932: `My husband was shot near the railway station. He worked as an assistant on the rice fields. My life was tough.` Ibu Wanti binti Sariman, born 12 May 1925:`I found my husband laying at the street, in one of three rows. He was in the last row and I saw he was shot through his head and back. I cannot forget him. My husband used to work his own ricefield which was inherited by his parents. I did not receive anything so I went to live with my parents again. I earnd money with the sale of trassi (fishpaste) and small fish.`   Bapak Saih bin Sakam, born 16 April 1923, the only living survivor of the massacre: `We were shot from the back, from a distance of about 2,5 meters. The man behind me was shot dead, the bullit went right through his body and hit my back. The man fell upon me and I felt his blood running over my face. When they left they shot again every body, to be sure we were all dead. They shot me through my hand. I was one of fourteen men who survived. My father, who was in the same line as I, was killed`. The cemetary of honour of Rawagede; many of the men who died in the massacre are reburied here.