Reflections 4

Topic: "In your opinion, what could have prevented the Maria Hertogh riots in 1950?" Give at least 2 suggestions.

I think that the Maria Herogh Riots could be prevented even though it only lasted for three days. Maris Hertogh initially was a Dutch but when her parents were imprisoned during the Japanese Occupation, Maria came under the care of a Malay woman, Che Aminah and her husband. They brought her as a Muslim and named her Nadra. During the riots, about 18 people were killed and 173 were injured.

In my opinion, the government and the media should be responsible for the riots that occurred. If the government were not biased, the Muslims who supported Che Aminah, Mother of Maria Hertogh, would not start the riots. The government should not change the judgement of giving Maria back to her Muslim mother. As after Che Aminah appealed the first time, she made an arrangemant for Maria to marry a Muslim guy. Furthermore, the governtment did not recognise the marriage and gave the custody of Maria to her natural parents. After that verdict was made, the government should sealed the Padang to prevent the Muslims from coming in.

The media should not post "Maria being put in the care of a Catholic Convent" on the headings of the newspapre as Muslims believed that they are only allowed to pray to one god only and not pray to other god. But the court put Maria in the Catholic Convert to pray the Catholic god which meant disrespect for the Muslim god in the eyes of the Muslim. This made the Muslims to get angry and started the riots.