In late November it was leaked that the state would apologize for past Dutch slavery on 19 December. It has led to a firestorm of criticism over the as-yet-unconfirmed plans. Until the 19th, the cabinet keeps its jaws tight. This has happened so far.
It was announced in early November that the cabinet would apologise. In doing so, the cabinet is following one of the recommendations of the Advisory Committee’s dialogue group on the history of slavery.
In the report released last year Chains of the past the Council advised the cabinet to apologize for its history of slavery on behalf of the state. Furthermore, the state should recognize that the past consequences of Dutch slavery can also be felt in the present.
Like every Friday, the Council of Ministers meets today. The ministers then discussed the government’s response to the report’s other recommendations.
Since the end of November, interest groups from the Netherlands, Suriname and the Caribbean Netherlands have criticized the still unconfirmed plans. The Netherlands is said to have made cabinet members from around the world apologize in eight places at the same time.
Critics see December 19 as a hastily and arbitrarily chosen date. They prefer July 1, 2023. On that day, many descendants of enslaved people commemorate the end of slavery. Exactly 150 years ago in Suriname.
The cabinet wants to do something ‘meaningful’ about past slavery before 2023. Then next year all attention can be focused on the anniversary of the end of slavery. “Hence this date,” said Prime Minister Mark Rutte of the December 19 choice.
Volg dit onderwerp
follow colonial history
Stakeholders are also calling for more participation. For example, slavery organizations in Suriname want to think about the text of the apology.
The representative of the original inhabitants of Suriname also lacks recognition for their suffering in the leaked plans. “The colonial past meant genocide, land grabbing and slavery for the indigenous population,” Audrey Christiaan told NU.nl on Friday.
Many critics miss an active role for King Willem-Alexander. As head of state, he would be “the best horse in the stable” to issue an apology.
Five interest groups even filed a lawsuit against the state to prevent the Netherlands from issuing an apology on December 19. They also continued that interim proceedings after a meeting with the cabinet. The judge denied the request.
The cabinet held meetings to dispel discontent. Rutte spoke in The Hague on December 8 with stakeholders and experts from the Netherlands, Suriname and the Caribbean part of the Kingdom. Deputy Prime Minister Sigrid Kaag did the same on December 13.
After the conversations, some of those present said it could help to think about the content of the apology and the follow-up process in the form of a recovery plan. The government has allocated 200 million euros for this.
Kaag traveled to Suriname in hopes that she could take some nuisance away there. The deputy prime minister will meet there, among others, with President Chan Santokhi, members of parliament and representatives of civil society organizations.
Santokhi said on Thursday that he had no objection to an apology for slavery from the Netherlands. This was stated by the Surinamese president during a meeting of parliament in the former Dutch colony.
It is surprising that Minister Franc Weerwind (Legal Protection) is in Suriname at the same time as Kaag. His visit had been planned for months. Yet it is not he who has begun to speak on behalf of the cabinet of the fuss that has been created.
Possible plan to make Weatherwind apologize meets resistance. According to unconfirmed rumors, the minister will apologize on behalf of the state in the capital of Suriname, Paramaribo.
Critics find such a role inappropriate for Weerwind, because he is descended from Suriname which was enslaved. Some Surinamese critics have even said they will not accept an apology if Weerwind delivers one.
The cabinet has only confirmed that Rutte will give a speech at the National Archives in The Hague on Monday. In it he replies on behalf of the Cabinet to the Advisory Board Dialogue Group Slavery History report.
After Rutte’s speech, members of the Dutch cabinet in Suriname and the six islands in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom will speak to those present. They will then discuss the government’s response and what it means for the former Dutch colonies.
Meteorological wind is one of them. Kaag will then return to Holland and be present at Rutte’s speech in The Hague.
The Keti Koti Table Foundation does not accept Rutte’s invitation to speak, founder and director Mercedes Zandwijken told NU.nl. The organization that wants to raise awareness of the Netherlands’ legacy of slavery and colonial past believes the cabinet has not sufficiently removed the dissatisfaction.
