Blog Topic 4

In your opinion, what could have prevented the Maria Hertogh riots in 1950? Give at least 2 suggestions.

I think the riots could have been stopped if not for the newspapers.In actual fact,the riots were aimed at the europeans for siding with the people of the same race as them as they thought they were superior,hence the riot was sparked off by the injustice people felt and suffered for so many years.

Firstly,Maria Hertogh was a 13 year old girl at the time of the riots,when her parents who went missing during the war came back to claim her.However,during the absence of her parents,she was brought up by a malay woman and her husband,Che Aminah.

Thus, when the tug-of-war for Maria ended, she was found in the Christian convent she was placed in,sitting and weeping beside a nun.The newspapers unfortunately published photos of that scene causing an uproar among the malay community. The newspapers should not have published the photos.

Secondly,i think the decision of returning Maria to her natural parents was very hastily made.If the judge had'nt returned Maria to Che Aminah before deciding to give her back to her natural parents,the riots might not have happened.As a result of the wishy-washy behaviour of the court,it caused innocents to be killed.

Hence,I think the above suggestions would have stopped the riots from happening.