Page 10 - aruba-today-20201211

Friday 11 december 2020 locAl
A10

Dutch Marines celebrate their 355th birthday

lands, among others, make a joint
contribution to the "flash force" of
NATO to be established.
In the Netherlands, marines are
part of the system of Special Forces
to protect the Netherlands against
terrorism. Within the Special Inter-
ventions Service (DSI), for example,
they work closely with the police
and the military police.

Defense on Aruba
Defense on Aruba is the responsi-
bility of the Kingdom of the Neth-
erlands. The Netherlands Military
forces that protect Aruba include
SAVANETA — The Netherlands Ma- ships at sea in the First Anglo-Dutch The deployment of the Marines the Royal Netherlands Navy, the
rine Corps (Dutch: Korps Mariniers) War. It was the fifth European Ma- nowadays varies from warfare and Netherlands Marine Corps and the
is the elite infantry component of rine unit formed, being preceded training to (natural) disaster relief Netherlands Coastguard. There is
the Royal Netherlands Navy. The by the Spain's Infantería de Ar- and humanitarian aid. One minute also a small indigenous "Arubaanse
unit is specialized in special op- mada (1537), the Portuguese Ma- the Marine is fighting and shortly Militie" (ARUMIL) (litr. "Aruban mi-
erations, operating under highly rine Corps (1610), France's Troupes after that he is providing aid, main- litia") of about platoon strength.
extreme conditions and amphibi- de marine (1622), and the English taining order or training foreign All forces are stationed at Marines
ous warfare. The Korps Mariniers Royal Marines (1664) but the first soldiers. This requires the ability to Barracks Savaneta.
are a rapid reaction force that can corps in history to be specialized switch quickly between the roles Up to 1929, there were hardly
be deployed to any location in the in amphibious operations. Like Brit- of combatant, trainer, order guard any military forces present on the
world within maximum 48 hours. ain, the Netherlands has had sev- and counselor. Dutch Antilles including Aruba. On
Their motto is Qua Patet Orbis ("As eral periods when its Marines were the 28th of June 1929 the Venezu-
Far As The World Extends"). This disbanded. The Netherlands itself Cooperation elan rebel leader Rafael Simon Ur-
year they celebrate their 355 years was under French occupation or The Marine Corps is inextricably bina attacked Curaçao and took
of existence. The defense on Aru- control from 1810 until 1813. A new linked to the Royal Netherlands several hostages amongst whom
ba is the responsibility of the King- Marine unit was raised on 20 March Navy. It also works with civil and was the governor L. A. Fruytier and
dom of the Netherlands and there- 1801 during the time of the Bata- military partners at home and the garrison commander Borren.
fore there is a reason to celebrate vian Republic and on 14 August abroad. Since 1973, the Marines They were all taken to Venezu-
along. 1806 the Korps Koninklijke Grena- have been embedded in the Unit- ela where Urbina had hoped to
diers van de Marine was raised ed Kingdom-Netherlands Landing overthrow the Government. His
Amphibious and Special Opera- under King Louis Bonaparte. The Force (UK / NL Landing Force). In attempt failed and Urbina was
tions that is the main job of the Ma- modern Korps Mariniers dates from this amphibious unit, the Marine taken prisoner. All hostages were
rines. It means that the maritime 1814, receiving its current name in Corps works closely with the Eng- returned to Curaçao. Three Dutch
light infantry units can operate on 1817. lish Royal Marines. The unit is part soldiers were killed in action during
sea, land and their borders. From of the Joint Expeditionary Forces. this attack. After Urbina's attack,
warfare and humanitarian aid, to Nowadays With this, England and the Nether- the Dutch government decided
secret reconnaissance and coun- to station one naval ship ("stations-
ter-terrorism. The corps is also distin- schip") in the Antilles permanently.
guished by its expertise in the field It also decided to raise a volunteer
of warfare in river deltas (riverine) defense corps on both Curaçao
and in arctic, mountainous and and Aruba (vrijwilligerskorps Cu-
desert conditions. raçao (VKC) and Vrijwilligerskorps
The Corps was founded on 10 De- Aruba (VKA)). After World War II,
cember 1665 during the Second the VKA and VKC were predesig-
Anglo-Dutch War by the Prime nated Antiliaanse Militie (ANTMIL)
Minister of the Dutch Republic, Jo- which still exists on Curaçao. When
han de Witt, and Admiral Michiel Aruba obtained its independence
de Ruyter as the Regiment de Ma- within the Kingdom of the Nether-
rine. Its leader was Willem Joseph lands in 1986, the ANTMIL on Aruba
van Ghent. The Dutch had suc- was predesignated Aruban militia
cessfully used ordinary soldiers in or ARUMIL.q