BY DR. W.A.A. VAN OS FOUNDER ''FRIENDS OF LINGGARJATI''

The Dutch foundation 'Vrienden van Linggarjati' or SVL, is the counterpart of the Indonesian organization 'Forum Indonesia Nederland' or FINED. Both, the Dutch- and Indonesian organizations, signed a 'Memorandum Of Understanding' or MOU, which described their intentions and common efforts, concerning the revitalization of the Museum in Linggarjati, which is a small town in the hills of west-Java, south of the coast town Cirebon. Although the revitalization of the national museum is a common bilateral project of 'Non Governmental Organizations' or NGO's, we gathered the positive support of both national governments for which we are very grateful.
The negotiations between the Dutch- and Indonesian parties, in November 1946, happened at the location and in the building, which hosted now a national memorial museum since 1976. The building in the original occurrence and its interior still featured the atmosphere of that period. In the directly neighbourhood is he former house of Sutan Sjahrir located. Both buildings and the whole site there in Linggarjati seems still untouched and kept as a place of historic significance.
The Linggarjati Museum commemorates the negotiations to end the use of force to end colonial rule that took place between the Republic of Indonesia and The Netherlands in 1946. It is a monument to the prevalence of the power of dialogue over the use of force. Now, Indonesian and Dutch partners want to create a living museum from this rather static exhibit. The objective of the Foundation Vrienden van Linggarjati is to renovate, expand and maintain the museum as part of the shared history of Indonesia and the Netherlands and to promote the knowledge of this history. The plans also call for the renovation of the buildings and the rehabilitation of the surrounding park.

The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Bupati ( regional government ) of the Kuningan District fully support this initiative. The parties involved are Forum Indonesia-Nederland (FINED), the Indonesian association of alumni of foreign universities (International Fellows, Interfel) and the Friends of Linggarjati Foundation (Stichting Vrienden van Linggarjati, SVL).
Forum Indonesia-Nederland and Forum Nederland Indonesia were founded simultaneously in January 1995 as a non-governmental communications forum when the political relations between the two countries had taken a turn for the worse.
Friends of Linggarjati was founded in 2001 by the descendants of Koos van Os, an industrialist whose house became the venue where the negotiations took place that has now become the Linggarjati Museum.
There is a growing interest among Indonesians and Dutch people in their past. Many Dutch have already found their way to Linggarjati and the museum. Indonesian students are daily visiting the museum from all parts of the country.
In 2005 President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and his wife visited the museum. In November 2006, the foreign Minister of Indonesia Mr Hasan Wirajuda and Dutch Ambassador N. van Dam as well as many other dignitaries attended the commemoration ceremony of the signing of the Linggarjati Agreement 60 years ago. On that occasion Mr Hasan Wirajuda asked the Dutch for their assistance in making the museum into a living museum.

The museum in Linggarjati is becoming a major asset for the district of Kuningan as it draws many tourists. This is according the Dutch policy of promoting cultural Tourism. Linggarjati is a prime example.
The SVL is honoured to be involved in this project, renewing the national museum in Linggarjati ready for the entry in the 21 th century. We implement this by collecting- and organizing knowledge, to assist our Indonesian counterpart in this assignment and also by collecting a part of the necessary finances, to make it possible. Now, after almost 60 years after the signing of the Linggarjati agreement, do we Dutch- and Indonesians cooperate, delivering our utmost in mutual efforts to succeed a renewed museum; a museum with a message.