Tabee toean, op patrouille in Nederlands Indië

On 17th August 1945, Sukarno proclaimed the independence of Indonesia. The Netherlands sent troops to 'restore order', which resulted in a bloody guerrilla war, in which a few thousand people were killed. More than 45 years later the memories of these 'police actions' have far from faded for those who fought in the Netherlands East Indies. For this film Tom Verheul spoke with five veterans. By taking them back to the places in Indonesia where they had their painful experiences, Verheul brings the past to life. A former lieutenant returns to the village where he 'downed' his first native and begs a witness to that act forgiveness. Questions thrust themselves upon us: what makes somebody shoot or torture another man? And especially: how would I behave under those circumstances?