Slavery in Indonesia began with the arrival of the Portuguese in the early 16th century. The Portuguese were looking for new routes to the Spice Islands, and they found Indonesia a convenient stopping point. The first slaves in Indonesia were brought by the Portuguese in 1511.
The Dutch began to trade in slaves in the early 17th century. The Dutch East India Company (VOC) was looking for new sources of revenue, and slave trading was a very profitable business. The …