Sources List

Source 1

The Straits Times- "Key Moments in Life of S'Pore, as seen through pictures". Retrieved 23rd August 2014, from: http://www.straitstimes.com/the-big-story/defining-stories/story/key-moments-life-spore-seen-through-st-pictures-20140422#2

Source 2

The Straits Times, December 12, 1950- Extracted from the article dated earlier.Retrieved on 23rd August 2014, from: http://ourstory.asia1.com.sg/independence/headline/race50.html

Source 3

"Why do you keep on fighting?" asked Che Aminah. "You gave your child to me to adopt as my own daughter."Mrs Hertogh replied she had only asked Aminah to look after Maria during the war. Her eyes searched the room. She kept on saying: "Where is my daughter?"After a few minutes Maria came out hesitantly and sat down with the others at the table.They argued together in Malay. Mrs Hertogh added, "Whatever may be the difficulties," she said, "I will stay here and overcome them until I can take you back to your father and brothers and sisters in Holland."Dry-eyed, Maria told her mother not to bother her any more. "If my parents love me," she said, "they should leave me where I am. Besides I cannot love you, because when I was a child you gave me away."Mrs Hertogh explained what had happened in the past and again pleaded that Maria should come back with her to her family. Maria said a firm "No" to all appeals. "I am a Muslim, I have made my choice and I will stay with my husband now until we die." At the end, when Mrs Hertogh wanted to kiss her, Maria turned away and buried her face in Che Aminah's back. Mrs Hertogh ran from the room, crying.

 Weeping Mother is told: I had made my choice( November 16 1950) First Published in 150 years of The Straits Times. Retrieved August 23 2014 from http://ourstory.asia1.com.sg/independence/lifeline/maria2.html

Source 4

May 20 Malay woman to lose Dutch 'daughter'

THE SINGAPORE CHIEF JUSTICE, Mr Justice Murray-Aynsley, yesterday ordered that a 13-year-old Dutch girl who has lived for eight years with a Malay woman in Java and Malaya should be given into the care of the Netherlands Consul-General who, it is understood, will return her to her parents in Holland.

After the decision, the girl, Maria Huberdina Hertogh, and Aminah, the Malay woman, clung to each other for almost an hour outside the Supreme Court. They declined to enter a waiting car, sobbed and vowed they would not be parted. With tears streaming down her face, Maria shouted in Malay (the only language she can speak): "Aminah is my mother. She has loved me, cared for me and brought me up."Then looking at Aminah, the girl said, "Do you love me, mother? If you love me don't leave me. I don't want to go with this man (a Dutch consular official)."

Malay woman to lose Dutch 'daughter' (May 20 1950) The Straits Times Retrieved August 23 2014 From  http://www.slideshare.net/missfateha/maria-hertogh-newspaper-articles#

Source 5

Taken from 150 years of newspapers : the Straits Times July 15, 1995, page 70 Retrieved August 28 2014 From:http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/printheritage/image.aspx?id=bd1ede5b-d7cb-4567-8cb2-4d05fa85236c

Source 6

Taken from book Tanjong Pagar : prosperity through adversity, page 69
Retrieved August 28 2014

From:http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/printheritage/image.aspx?id=0dd13908-1b25-4d06-94b6-70306fb46a7e&s=Maria%20Hertogh

Source 7

MARIA HERTOGH AND her mother, Mrs A. P. Hertogh, sat within a few feet of each other for four hours in the Singapore High Court yesterday, but neither looked at the other.
It was the first day of the case which has aroused world-wide interest and which will determine whether the Dutch girl, Maria, is to return with her mother to Holland or stay in Malaya with her husband, Inche Mansoor Adabi and with her foster-mother Che Aminah.
All the human hopes, the conflicting distress of mother, daughter, and foster-mother, were veiled in fine legal points as Mr E. D. Shearn, appearing for Mr and Mrs Hertogh, began his case before Mr Justice Brown.

Battle begins for Maria (Nov 21 1950) The Straits Times Retrieved 28 August 2014 From http://www.slideshare.net/missfateha/maria-hertogh-newspaper-articles# 

Source 8

The biological parents (right) of Maria Bertha Hertogh (foreground) where Maria will be assigned to them. December 3 1950. Retrieved 28th August 2014 From: http://www.anp-archief.nl/page/238245/nl

Essay Question:Why should we remember the early 1950s and 1960s today?

Why should we remember the early 1950s and 1960s today?

The 1950s and 1960s are a thing of the past. Compared to the Singapore today, it seems almost irrelevant to study what has already been done. Why, then, should we still remember the 1950s and 1960s today? How is it relevant to today's context?

The 1950s and 1960s was a period when Singapore was ruled by the British after the Japanese fell due to the Allied Powers. Still a struggling nation under the British, some conflicts and struggles were bound to arise. Our group chose to write this essay on the Maria Hertogh Riots. This is one of many events, and there are many lessons to be learnt from it. We learn from the past, so that history will not repeat itself and every day will be an improvement of the previous.

Maria Hertogh Riots

The Maria Hertogh riots was a series of riots that came about because of one girl, Maria Bretha Hertogh over who were her parents, which later transformed into a religious and racial issue which caused millions in property damage and irreplacable lives lost. In the paragraphs below, I will talk in brief about two major parties that were involved in the riots, and where their error was.

British Government

The British Government was unaware with regards to the sensitivity and the intensity of the issue. They made some very crucial mistake which could have been said to the main catalyst for the riots that followed later, which in turn resulted in much hurt and damage. While waiting for the court to make the final decision in December, the Dutch-Consul General sent Maria to a girl's home run by a Catholic church. The main issue with this was that with the intention of trying to please the crowd by showing Maria was happy, moving Maria to a place that was strongly associated with one religion (Catholicism) gave the crowd the impression that the British were against the Muslims by sending her to a Catholic-associated place. This quickly blew up the issue- from a custody battle to a full blown riot of racial tensions. Had they not made that mistake, things could have been different. 

Media Influence

The media another very major player in the riots, mainly by adding fuel to fire. Due to the media's ability to get their news out to large amounts of people throughout the country, the different newspapers- The Singapore Standard and Melayu Raya, just to name a few. When the Singapore Standard printed photos which appeared to show Maria "all smiles" at a convent, the Melayu Raya retaliated by posting photos of Maria crying and looking dejected at a convent. This created mass confusion across the island, and made the issue very emotional for many people, especially Malays, which led to the attacks on people who looked like Eurasians and British on sight, even if they were actaully Singaporeans or of other races.

Conclusion

The Maria Hertogh riots is a stark reminder of the importance of racial and religious harmony not just in Singapore, but around the world. It also shows us the importance of responsible media and a sensitive government, and shows us what happens if we do not pay heed.

Meeting Journal

Meeting Journal

First Meeting

Date: 9th August 2014, Saturday

Members present (4/4): Zhiyi, Jia Jin, Sang Yun, Jonah

Meeting duration: 2 hours

Content of meeting:

1. Assigned roles and responsiblities
2. Understood the project and sorted out tasks to be completed
3. Completed Compare and Contrast question as a group
4. Created Blogger and published posts with information and resources we have gathered related to our project
5. Added in Meeting Journal

Second Meeting

Date: 21st August 2014, Thursday

Members present (3/4): Zhiyi, Sang Yun, Jonah (Jia Jin absent, with MC)

Meeting duration: 1 hour

Content of meeting:

1. Looked up for information/sources on the internet
2. Compiled information and made changes to essay
3. Edited Meeting Journal
4. Completed 'Inquiry Question: why should we remember the early 1950s and 1960s today?'

Third Meeting

Date: 22nd August 2014, Friday

Members present (3/4): Zhiyi, Sang Yun, Jonah (Jia Jin absent, with MC)

Meeting duration: 1 hour

Content of meeting: 

1. Attended history briefing.
2. Looked up sources with regards to riots.
3. Compiled all the information we have gathered
4. Posted all the sources on the blog 
5. Checked through all the posts for any mistakes and made changes.

Comparison of sources

  Both sources A and B are similar in content of the political repression by the British government. Source A says, "And oh they couldn't give me any office - it took a long time - government offices were extremely overloaded - and there was a lot of difficulty. I had to threaten to bring a desk here and set it up here or in my flat before I could get an office!" This shows that the Colonial Government ignored the needs of a Chef Minister. The Chef Minister was deprived of an office which he needed to manage the country, so he had to bring his own table to carry out his duty, thus he was displeased with the treatment he received from the Colonial Government. Similarly, Source B says that "Singapore witnessed a staggering 260 labour stoppages, walk-offs, go-slows and sit-downs - if we exclude Sundays, that means more than one labour protest every working day". This shows that people in Singapore were not pleased with what they got from the Government, which stirred up the conflict between the citizens and Government. Since the Government did not meet the people's needs, so they had to lead a strike. Thus, Source A and B are similar in the local people's disapproval of the colonials who are governing them.

  Both Sources A and B are different in content that the goal the people want to achieve. Source A shows that David Marshall and possibly the civilians wanted independence while Source B shows that the students wanted a revolutionary curriculum. Source A shows " I came before you, day after day at lunchtime, to speak to you of the dangers that the future held and to put before you a blueprint for a miracle possible. This shows that Political Government had already planned a way to gain freedom, achieve self-government and break away from British rule and to persuade the citizens to follow him for better living conditions. In contrast, Source B shows "Chinese students ignored the government's official closure of their schools, and in a repeat of the previous year locked themselves into their classrooms, where they established their own revolutionary curriculum." This shows that the Chinese student's interest, what they wanted were ignored by the British Government. They were taking away the Chinese student's rights of the way they want to be educated, thus they rebelled against the British to emphasize on their civil liberties.

Therefore this shows that Source A and B are different in the goal the people wanted to achieve