In your opinion, what could have prevented the Maria Hertogh riots in 1950. Give at least 2 suggestions. I believe that the government had a big part to play in trying to prevent the riots from breaking out.
First of all, the courts shouldn't have allowed Maria to carry on switching between her foster parents and her real parents during the trial, this caused much confusion to Maria. The courts, you can say, were a little bias when they placed maria in a convent when they clearly knew that she was raised as a Muslim. They should have respected the Muslim religion and not anger her foster parents even more. Placing her in a convent offended the Muslim beliefs.
Furthermore, i feel that they could have stopped those photographers from entering the convent and taking pictures of Maria and putting them in the newspapers. The Muslim supporters of her foster parents were outraged by this. As we all know that the newspapers and media had a very big impact on the people, with the news of maria being placed in a convent, many Muslims got to know about it and felt that the British were not respecting their religion. If those pictures had not made it into the newspapers, perhaps some of the anger from the Muslims could have been adverted.
Also, on the day that the verdict was made, British officials should have sealed off the Padang area to avoid crowds gathering to witness the verdict. This could have prevented the Muslims from taking action immediately. As the Muslims had the idea that the British were taking sides with the Dutch, they got even more infuriated.
I believe that if precautions had been taken, and if the British was more understanding, many lives would be saved and many people wouldn't be injured due to this riot.
