During the commemoration of 150 years of slavery in the Provincial House in Assen, King’s Commissioner Jetta Klijnsma apologized this afternoon. In a response, organizer ‘Comité June 30/1 July Drenthe’ calls it recognition for what has been done to the enslaved.
In her speech, Jetta Klijnsma put it as follows: “In this situation and with this history on our minds, words of regret are very important. Essential. And that also applies to recognizing and acknowledging discrimination and inequality that are still enormously important in our cooperation. be in order.”
When Klijnsma was asked in an interview with RTV Drenthe whether Drenthe is also going to apologize for its slavery past, the commissioner said: “It goes without saying that both as a commissioner and as a Jetta, I am really not proud of what happened at the time. Apologies I always want to offer if something didn’t go well. And oh, how this didn’t go well.”
But are those really excuses? “Of course. And I assume everyone says so.”
These are important words for, among others, the organizer of the commemoration: the 30 June/1 July Committee. “It is recognition that something has been done. How beautiful is that. Then you heal. Then you are recognized. That does something. It eases the pain,” says Istahil Abdulahi of the committee.
The slavery past still plays a role every day in Abdulahi’s life as a woman and an African. “The role it plays in my life is that people think I’m less worthy and I’m not equal to them. Still.”