Descendants of enslaved people and the indigenous population of Suriname pardoned King Willem-Alexander on Monday afternoon. He received this forgiveness for the role that the king’s ancestors played in the colonization of the country and in the slave trade. This happened during a special ceremony in Paramaribo on the Suriname River, with a libation and a circle discussion.
King Willem-Alexander had also asked for forgiveness as head of the Van Oranje-Nassau family in 2023, after repeating the apologies of the Dutch government. His ancestors, the governors and kings had done nothing against the slave trade, which was legal until 1863, but “the slavery system illustrated the injustice of those laws,” he said.
“At a certain point the moral obligation to act grows, especially since slavery was strictly prohibited here in the European Netherlands,” the king said. Hence the apology, “for the obvious lack of action against this crime against humanity.”
Krutu
The ‘traditional authority’ then drew up a letter with leaders of Afro-Surinamese, Maroon and indigenous communities in which they wrote to consider granting forgiveness.
For a year all over the country krutus (traditional meetings) held, with a gran krutu. It was then determined that it would be important for the king to apologize again on Surinamese soil. The king did this by announcing that he still supports the original apology.
President
On Monday afternoon, traditional leaders and President Jennifer Simons reiterated on behalf of the Surinamese government that the money that the Netherlands made available in 2023 (66 million euros) to make the apology “not a period, but a comma” is seen as “a gesture”.
“You don’t apologize empty-handed,” said Hesdy Ommen on behalf of the consultative body of leaders. They expect a discussion about further reparations. President Simons further said: “The backlogs are large. Wages have never been paid. We are not going to argue about that, but it does exist.”
Outgoing Minister David van Weel (Foreign Affairs, VVD) said that the use of the 66 million euros will be discussed in the coming years.
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In Suriname the king must ‘radiate warmth’ and ‘talk, but above all listen’
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