Inp.polri.go.id - Jakarta. The Netherlands announced on Friday (26/9/2025)it will repatriate 28,000 fossil fragments collected by 19th-century Dutch scientist Eugene Dubois from Indonesia, currently housed at the Naturalis Biodiversity Center in Leiden.

“This decision follows extensive research and the advice of the Dutch Colonial Collections Committee. We will ensure smooth repatriation in close cooperation with Naturalis and Indonesian partners,” said Dutch Education, Culture and Science Minister Gouke Moes, as reported by antaranews.com.

The fossils, including skullcaps, molars, and femurs linked to Homo erectus, were excavated in Java by Dubois and remain central to the study of human evolution. However, the committee concluded they may have been obtained without local consent, making Dutch ownership unjust.

The Dutch government has formally notified Indonesia’s Culture Minister Fadli Zon of the plan. Naturalis Director-General Marcel Beukeboom affirmed research collaboration with Indonesian scientists would continue after the handover. Both countries stressed the fossils’ enduring value as a shared scientific heritage.

(mg/inp/pr/rs)