The Dutch Government Says Sorry to Moluccan People

荷蘭政府向馬魯古人道歉

Jun 21, 2026, 18:25
EuropePolitics

Introduction

Prime Minister Rob Jetten said sorry to the Moluccan community. The government treated soldiers and their families badly in 1951.

總理 Rob Jetten 向馬魯古社群道歉。政府在 1951 年對士兵及其家屬對待不周。

Main Body

In 1951, 12,500 soldiers and their families moved from Indonesia to the Netherlands. The government did not give them jobs. They lived in old camps. These camps were very bad places.

在 1951 年，有 12,500 名士兵及其家屬從印尼搬到荷蘭。政府當時沒有為他們提供工作。他們住在舊營區中，而這些營區是非常糟糕的地方。

Some people are happy about the apology. Other people say the apology is too late. Many old soldiers are now dead. In the 1970s, some Moluccan people fought the government because they were angry.

有些人對這次道歉感到開心，但也有人認為道歉太遲了。許多老兵如今已經去世。在 1970 年代，一些馬魯古人因為憤怒而與政府對抗。

Now, 70,000 descendants live in the Netherlands. The government will start a study. They want to find ways to help these people in the future.

目前有 70,000 名後代住在荷蘭。政府將啟動一項研究，希望找到在未來幫助這些人的方法。

Conclusion

The Dutch government admits it did bad things in the past. Now they want to find a way to fix these problems.

荷蘭政府承認過去曾有不當行為。現在他們希望找到解決這些問題的方法。

Vocabulary Learning

🕰️ The 'Past vs. Now' Shift

To reach A2, you must switch between then and now. Look at how the text changes its verbs:

The Past (Finished Actions)

  • Moved →\to they went to a new place.
  • Did not give →\to the government said 'no' to jobs.
  • Lived →\to they stayed in camps.
  • Fought →\to they had a fight/conflict.

The Present (Current Facts)

  • Are →\to How people feel today.
  • Live →\to Where they are now.
  • Want →\to What the government hopes for.

💡 Simple Pattern: If you see a date (like 1951 or 1970s), use the -ed ending (or a special past word). If you see the word Now, use the basic word.

Example: 1951 →\to They lived in camps. Now →\to They live in the Netherlands.

Vocabulary Learning

community (n.)
A group of people who live in the same area or share the same history
Example:The local community helps people in need.
treated (v.)
How you behave toward or deal with someone
Example:The doctor treated the patient with kindness.
apology (n.)
Something you say to show you are sorry for doing something wrong
Example:I sent an apology letter to my friend.
descendants (n.)
Children, grandchildren, and other people who come from an ancestor
Example:The descendants of the first settlers still live here.
admits (v.)
To say that something is true, especially when you are unhappy about it
Example:He admits that he made a mistake.
Practice A2 words in a crossword→