A nine-member delegation from the House of Representatives started a nine-day working visit to Suriname, Curaçao and Bonaire on Saturday. The MPs of various political groups led by Kiki Hagen (D66) will investigate the colonial past of the Netherlands. The trip is a preparation for the commemorative year 2023.
The Netherlands officially ended slavery in 1863. In practice, the enslaved people were not free until ten years later. In 2023, that actual freedom will be 150 years ago.
The MPs visit places in the three countries that were important during the colonial history of the Netherlands. Examples are plantations. They also speak with scientists, descendants of enslaved people and representatives of the people.
In Suriname, for example, a meeting with President Chan Santokhi is scheduled. The MPs of the Home Affairs Committee also hold talks with the Surinamese Slavery History Committee and the National Slavery History Commemoration Committee.
Coalition party VVD does not participate in the working visit. The party says to the NOS see no added value in a trip to the three countries. The other coalition parties D66, CDA and ChristenUnie did send a representative.
The Netherlands lays a wreath on Curaçao to commemorate the 1795 slave revolt
In Curaçao, the delegation attends the commemoration of a slave revolt in 1795 on August 17. The revolt led by the enslaved Tula was crushed with great violence. Tula was tortured and then killed. Hagen will lay a wreath on behalf of the Netherlands during the commemoration.
On Bonaire, discussions with the Island Council and the Dialogue Group Bonaire Slavery Past are on the agenda.
Apologies from major cities, banks and province but not yet from the Netherlands
Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Utrecht have apologized for the slavery past. The Dutch Central Bank did the same on 1 July during the National Commemoration of the Slavery Past. President Klaas Knot told NU.nl during the commemoration that the consequences of slavery are also noticeable in the present.
Also on 1 July, Noord-Holland was the first province to apologize. ABN AMRO did that a few months earlier.
The Dutch State has not yet apologized. The Dutch government did say in 2013 that it was ‘regret and deeply regretful’ about slavery.
During the national commemoration in July, Minister Franc Weerwind (Legal Protection) said that 2023 will be “the year in which we will permanently anchor the change that we have been working on for so long”.
He also promised that the cabinet will respond to the report before 2023 Chains of the Past. In it, the Advisory Board Dialogue Group on Slavery History calls on the Dutch State to apologize for its Dutch slavery past.