The evidences from Source A and Source B are "The handling of the situation by the Government is inappropriate" One blunder was the story published in A Singapore newspaper that Maria had knelt in worship before the statue of Virgin Mary." However, in the eye of the Muslims, they felt praying of any images or statues are unacceptable. This shows that the Maria Hertogh riot was caused by the media. If the media had not written newspapers and taken photographs of Maria Hertogh inside a Christian convent, there would be less commotion and rioting among the Muslim community though they knew the British Government in Singapore was biased against by saying that Maria Hertogh should be separated from Che Aminah and returned to her birth parents. Not only that, allowing journalists to enter inside a conventand take pictures of Maria weeping beside a nun and the Riot Commision considered this regrettable to the local people in Singapore.
However, the colonial government was also be blamed for the Maria Hertogh riot. The evidence from source A 'Maria Hertogh, the muslim girl, came to a christian convent.' and 'the concern of the Dutch had been caused a widespread death in the British Colony and to fan racial hatred against the British.' They did a great mistake by putting her in a Christian convent as she was raised as a muslim. Hence this caused racial hatred even death from the local people since they were very angry. The evidence from source E 'they also did not foresee the hostile reaction which the recklessly- publicized placing Maria in the convent would cause among the muslim population. ' and 'More surprisingly the British Government took no action against it' Therefore this show that the muslims were upset about placing her in a convent school. Also, they never handle the situation properly by calming the locals down.
In conclusion, the media was blame for the Maria Hertogh riot. As there were many pictures of Maria in a Christian convent which caused many muslims to be angry as Maria was raised as a muslim. They found it unfair as they thought that Maria was forced to adopt christian faith. Even though, the British Colonial Government may be also the reason why the riot started as they did not handle the situation properly, the muslim were already very angry by the photos which was posted by the media in different languages newspapers. Hence, it made the muslims very angry resulting in the riot.
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| Maria Hertogh and Che Aminah |
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| Maria Hertogh in a convent school. |
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| The Maria Hertogh Riots |
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| The Maria Hertogh Riots |
