Indonesian weapon experts say in conversation with the Indonesian magazine Tempo that a dagger returned by King Willem-Alexander did not belong to the Indonesian prince Diponegoro. The so-called Kris was lost for decades, but was found after an initiative of Museum Volkenkunde in Leiden.
King Willem-Alexander presented the kris last month during a state visit, apologizing for the Dutch violence during the Indonesian war of independence (1945-1949).
The dagger would be exhibited in the national Indonesian museum, but due to the doubts of the experts, this will be waived for the time being. They suspect that this is a so-called naga sasra, while Diponegoro used a lot of a naga siluman. When historians and experts reach a final judgment, a new exhibition can be planned, starting after the corona crisis.
Prince Diponegoro (1785-1855) is considered a resistance hero and national icon in Indonesia. He was imprisoned as leader of the resistance to the Dutch administration.
NU.nl is awaiting a response from the Government Information Service.
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