WHEN AND HOW DID IT HAPPEN??

The Maria Hertogh riots or Natrah riots, which staeted on 11 December 1950 in Singapore, consisted of outraged Muslims who resented the court decision to give the custody of Maria Hertogh (or Bertha Hertogh), then 13, to her biological Dutch Catholic parents after she had been raised as a Muslim under the care of Aminah binte Mohamed, whom she regarded as her mother.

WHAT HAPPENED THEN??

-After World War II in 1945, Sergeant Adrianus Hertogh, Maria's biological father, was released and reunited with his wife and came back to find Maria to take her back but Che Aminah refused to return Maria Hertogh to them as she claimed that Adeline Hertogh, Maria's biological mother, had given Maria to her for adoption in late 1942.

-In September 1949, Aminah and Maria were traced to the kampong they were living in after Maria’s biological parents requested the Dutch authorities to try to trace the child when they could not find their daughter or Aminah. 

-In early 1950, negotiations were opened to retrieve Maria. The Dutch Consulate offered S$500 to make up for Aminah's expenses in bringing up the girl for eight years. Aminah rejected the offer and refused to give up Maria.

-Later in April, Aminah was then persuaded to travel with Maria to Singapore to discuss the issue with the Dutch Consul-General. However, Aminah's firm position could not be wavered.

-On 22 April, Maria's biological parents applied to the High Court for Maria to be delivered into the custody of the Social Welfare Department pending further order. The case was approved by the Chief Justice and Maria was brought to the Girls Homecraft Centre at York Hill by an officer the next day.

-On 17 May, the High Court ruled after a short hearing of about 15 minutes that the custody of Maria be entitled to the Hertoghs although Maria made it clear that she wanted to stay with Aminah and did not wish to be returned to her natural parents.

-On 1 August 1950, merely four days after winning the appeal, the events took a dramatic and unexpected turn. Maria was married to 22-year-old Mansoor Adabi. The marriage could have been a manoeuvre by Aminah to prevent further attempts by the Hertoghs to get back their daughter.

-The custody of Maria was then given to her biological parents.