Dutch officials drop case against Rijksmuseum over ‘racist’ word

Decision to avoid word in exhibition on Indonesian independence led to accusations of genocide denial

The director of the Rijksmuseum said he was happy" as Dutch prosecutors announced they would not proceed with an investigation into complaints over a newly opened exhibition on Indonesian independence, the first of its kind in Europe.

The exhibition, Revolusi! Indonesia Independent, at the Netherlands' national museum, has been a source a controversy since one of its curators, Bonnie Triyana, said the term bersiap", or stand by, would not be used in reference to the violent upheaval that followed a declaration of independence from the Dutch state.