Netherlands to return 20 looted objects, including 38-carat diamond, to Indonesia

Indonesian flag - Credit: - License: DepositPhotos Politics Saturday, 10 October 2026 - 17:35

The Netherlands will return 20 cultural objects taken during the colonial era to Indonesia. The artifacts include the 38-carat Banjarmasin diamond that once belonged to the sultan of Banjarmasin.

Indonesian Culture Minister Fadli Zon and Dutch Culture Minister Rianne Letschert signed an agreement Friday at the Indonesia House in Amsterdam on the return of the objects. A spokesperson for Letschert said the items are expected to be handed over early next year.

The objects are held by the Wereldmuseum and the Rijksmuseum. In addition to the diamond, they include a handwritten Quran, a sword, and tombstones.

“With this return, based on the advice of the Colonial Collections Committee, we are contributing to the restoration of historical injustice,” Letschert said. “These objects have great cultural and historical value for Indonesia. They should never have been in the Netherlands. We are now righting the wrong.”

Last year, Letschert’s predecessor, Gouke Moes, decided to return the Dubois collection to Indonesia. Four fossils from the collection have already been transferred, with the rest - more than 28,000 fossils - to follow “in the short term.”

Reporting by ANP and NL Times