Mariah Hertogh Riots

In 1950, newspapers went to town with the story of a Dutch girl, Maria Bertha Hertogh, and the legal custody battles between the hertoghs which are her biological parents,and her foster mother,Che Aminah. 

Picture courtesy from www.knowledge.com.sg
Conflicting accounts arised over the circumstances in which Maria was handed over to Che Aminah in 1942. Both parties claiming different stories. When the custody battles occured in April 1950, Maria, now Nadra, was 13 years old and had been brought up as a Muslim. Maria's mother lost the first round. In August, back in the care of Che Aminah, Maria married a school teacher called Mansor Adabi. The second round in the custody battle went to Maria's mother. In the process of Che Aminah's appeal, Maria was put in a convent. 


The English papers and Malay papers showed pictures of Maria, each depicting her in a pitiful plight. Each reporting and stressing their stand against each other.The news reports arouse feelings against the Europeans as anti-Muslims causing alienation between the two groups.

In early December, feelings in the Muslim community were highly charged. There was strong bitterness against the Europeans and the way the case was being handled. Tensions raised as more issues arouse.

Riots 

On Monday 11 December, the day that Che Aminah's appeal was to be heard, a large Muslim crowd gathered at the court house demanding that Maria should be taken out of the convent. A struggle broke out between the group and a Eurasian, H.L. Velge, a member of the Special Constabulary, who drew his revolver and fired three shots. Two Malays were wounded, one got hit in the head. Suddenly a chaos broke loose. 

The riots swept swiftly to other parts of the island . At the end of it all, 18 people were dead, 173 injured and 84 cars destroyed including a police vehicle. A dispute between two families eventually developed wider social implications. The issue became a battle between two different cultures and religious interests. No one gave much thought to the happiness and future of the child.


What we can learn ???
We learnt that Racial Harmony and racial peace is not to be taken for granted and we must know be sensitive to other races and their culture. Or things like this would happen. And in Singapore where manpower is her natural resource, when such riots break out, it would greatly affect the economy and the people who are coming over to invest. SO we must learn to appreciate other races and their culture. And maintain Racial Hamorny and Peace in Singapore...!!!