On 2 December 1975, seven South Moluccans seized a train with about 50 passengers on board in open countryside near the village of , halfway between and in the northern part of the Netherlands. The hijacking lasted for 12 days and three hostages were killed.
At the same time, seven other South-Moluccans took hostages in the Indonesian Consulate in Amsterdam.
The attackers came from , a village where a few years later another group of South Moluccans seized a primary school. The attackers hid their weapons disguised as presents for the holiday on 5 December.
Context
The South-Moluccans came to the Netherlands for a temporary stay, promised by the Dutch government that they would get their own independent state, (RMS). For about 25 years they lived in temporary camps, often in poor conditions. After these years the younger generation felt betrayed by the Dutch government for not giving them their independent state and they started radical actions to draw attention to their case.
Developments
Around 07:10, the emergency cord was pulled on a regional train travelling from to . The train driver, , was immediately murdered. When, on the third day, the Dutch government had not given the hijackers what they wanted, 22-year-old national serviceman was murdered and both bodies were thrown out of the train on the rails. That night, 14 hostages managed to escape from the train.
The next day, young economist was brought to the doors and shot dead in full view of the police and the military as well as the press. The dead bodies thrown from the train were only allowed to be taken away a couple of days later.
On 14 December, the hijackers surrendered. Among reasons for surrender were reports about retaliation on the Moluccan Islands and the sub-zero temperatures in and around the train.
Aftermath The hijackers were convicted to sentences of 14 years. One member of the hijackers committed suicide in prison in 1978.
Costs The hijacking had cost the . Meanwhile, the cost of the phone calls that were made during the hijacking were estimated at .
In popular culture In 2008, , a Dutch-language television film was made about this hostage crisis, directed by .
Citations
See also Attempt at kidnapping Juliana of the Netherlands 1977 Dutch train hijacking 1978 Dutch province hall hostage crisis
External links
Article in 1975 Time Magazine; not found 14 May 2021.