Dutch slavery apology under fire as criticism about timing grows
2 years ago

Dutch slavery apology under fire as criticism about timing grows

Dutch News  

It remains unclear when the Dutch government will apologise for the Netherlands’ slavery past following prime minister Mark Rutte’s meeting with Surinamese and Caribbean community groups on Thursday. Campaigners say the government’s chosen date of December 19 is inappropriate and would prefer July 1 next year, which marks 150 years since slavery was actually abolished in the Netherlands. All Rutte would say after the meeting is that December 19 will remain a ‘significant moment’ but declined to go into further details. Meanwhile, a number of other community groups said on Friday they planned to go to court to take out an injunction against the government to stop it making an apology on December 19.

Netherlands Rutte Suriname  grows  community  suriname  slavery  criticism  ministers  timing  surinamese  dutch  say  rutte  minister  19  netherlands  apology

History of this topic

Former Cabinet postponed apology for Dutch slavery past several times
4 months ago

Former Cabinet postponed apology for Dutch slavery past several times

NL Times  

The previous cabinet postponed the apology for the Dutch slavery past several times. 2023 would be the commemorative year around the slavery past, and officials did not think it was a good idea to hang the apology as a “shadow” over the preparations. In Curaçao, Van Huffelen said there was "no specific reason" for December 19, but another document referred …

Netherlands facing four reparations claims after apology for historic ties to slavery
9 months, 3 weeks ago

Netherlands facing four reparations claims after apology for historic ties to slavery

NL Times  

The Dutch government, which has long resisted calls for reparations over its role in the slave trade, is now facing legal claims from individuals following its official apology for slavery, according to documents obtained by RTL Nieuws under the Open Government Act. Specific details in the documents, including personal data and information that could reveal the State's legal position, were …

Dutch king apologises for his country's role in slavery on 150th anniversary of abolition
1 year, 5 months ago

Dutch king apologises for his country's role in slavery on 150th anniversary of abolition

The Hindu  

Dutch King Willem-Alexander apologised on Saturday for his country's role in slavery and asked for forgiveness in a historic speech greeted by cheers and whoops at an event to commemorate the anniversary of the abolition of slavery. The king’s speech followed Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte's apology late last year for the country’s role in the slave trade and slavery. …

King of the Netherlands apologizes for country’s role in slavery on 150th anniversary of abolition
1 year, 5 months ago

King of the Netherlands apologizes for country’s role in slavery on 150th anniversary of abolition

Associated Press  

AMSTERDAM — King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands apologized Saturday for his country’s role in slavery and asked for forgiveness during a historic speech greeted by cheers and whoops at an event to commemorate the anniversary of the abolition of slavery in Dutch colonies. The king’s speech followed Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s apology late last year for the country’s role …

King Willem-Alexander will give speech on slavery commemoration, apology to be expected
1 year, 6 months ago

King Willem-Alexander will give speech on slavery commemoration, apology to be expected

NL Times  

The Dutch King Willem-Alexander will give a speech on July 1 in Amsterdam on the occasion of the commemoration of the abolition of slavery. Ten years ago, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima attended the commemoration of the abolition of slavery but did not give a speech. In this regard, King Willem-Alexander shared in the podcast "Through the Eyes of the …

Protester interrupts lecture for the royals by singing 'Oh Freedom'
1 year, 10 months ago

Protester interrupts lecture for the royals by singing 'Oh Freedom'

Dutch News  

A law lecture at the University of Aruba attended by the Dutch king, queen and princess Amalia was disrupted for a few moments on Tuesday as a demonstrator held up a flag and began singing the civil rights campaign song Oh Freedom. Gisele Sint Jago, a master’s law student who is an activist for local party Pueblo Prome, was led …

Apologies for slavery are commendable, but not nearly enough
1 year, 11 months ago

Apologies for slavery are commendable, but not nearly enough

Al Jazeera  

On December 19, 2022, the Netherlands became the first Western nation to formally apologise for participating in and profiting from the transatlantic trade of enslaved people. Speaking at the National Archives in The Hague, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte apologised on behalf of his government for the country’s role in slavery, calling it “ugly, painful, and even downright shameful”. Yet …

Explained: Why Netherlands’ formal apology for slavery fell flat
2 years ago

Explained: Why Netherlands’ formal apology for slavery fell flat

Firstpost  

Though Prime Minister Mark Rutte apologised posthumously to ‘all enslaved people worldwide and their descendants’, activists gave the speech the cold shoulder and said a discussion on reparations is needed Sorry really does seem to be the most difficult word. Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte’s apology on Monday for the Netherlands’ role in slavery and the slave trade may have …

Suriname's president welcome slavery apology but criticises approach
2 years ago

Suriname's president welcome slavery apology but criticises approach

Dutch News  

The president of Suriname, Chan Santokhi, has said his government should have been consulted better before Mark Rutte issued a public apology for the Netherlands’ slave trading past on Monday. Santokhi was positive about the content of Rutte’s speech, calling it a ‘clear’ statement of ‘Dutch involvement in the inhumane treatment of people who were taken to Suriname by force …

Suriname's president welcome slavery apology but criticises approach
2 years ago

Suriname's president welcome slavery apology but criticises approach

Dutch News  

The president of Suriname, Chan Santokhi, has said his government should have been consulted better before Mark Rutte issued a public apology for the Netherlands’ slave trading past on Monday. Santokhi was positive about the content of Rutte’s speech, calling it a ‘clear’ statement of ‘Dutch involvement in the inhumane treatment of people who were taken to Suriname by force …

Dutch leader apologizes for Netherlands’ role in slave trade
2 years ago

Dutch leader apologizes for Netherlands’ role in slave trade

Associated Press  

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte apologized Monday on behalf of his government for the Netherlands’ role in slavery and the slave trade, in a speech welcomed by activists as historic but lacking in concrete plans for repair and reparations. Rutte told reporters after the speech that the government is not offering compensation to “people — grandchildren …

Netherlands apologises for Dutch government’s role in slavery
2 years ago

Netherlands apologises for Dutch government’s role in slavery

Al Jazeera  

PM Mark Rutte says the Dutch state has enabled, stimulated and profited from slavery for centuries. Prime Minister Mark Rutte has formally apologised on behalf of the Dutch state for its historical role in slavery, and for consequences that he acknowledged continue into the present day. “It is true that nobody alive today bears any personal guilt for slavery …

Rutte’s speech today: Apologies for slavery history, or not yet?
2 years ago

Rutte’s speech today: Apologies for slavery history, or not yet?

NL Times  

It will finally become clear if Prime Minister Mark Rutte's “significant moment” will be an actual apology from the Dutch Cabinet for the country’s past history involving slavery, or whether it will be little more than a “starter pistol” for the commemorative year 2023 in which the 150th anniversary of the end of slavery will be commemorated. After weeks of …

Kaag and Santokhi: Good conversation about intended apology for slavery past
2 years ago

Kaag and Santokhi: Good conversation about intended apology for slavery past

NL Times  

Deputy Prime Minister Sigrid Kaag and Surinamese President Chan Santokhi had a "good and frank" conversation on Friday, in the context of the Dutch government's intention to apologize for its slavery past. In response to some questions from journalists, Kaag said she came to Suriname because there may have been a wrong and incomplete picture about the "meaningful message" that …

Caribbean divided as Netherlands mulls slavery apology
2 years ago

Caribbean divided as Netherlands mulls slavery apology

Associated Press  

PARAMARIBO, Suriname — Dutch colonizers kidnapped men, women and children and enslaved them on plantations growing sugar, coffee and other goods that built wealth at the price of misery. Eventually, the Dutch West India Company became the largest trans-Atlantic slave trader, said Karwan Fatah-Black, an expert in Dutch colonial history and an assistant professor at Leiden University in the Netherlands. …

Sigrid Kaag arrives in Suriname for talks on slavery apology
2 years ago

Sigrid Kaag arrives in Suriname for talks on slavery apology

Dutch News  

Deputy PM and finance minister Sigrid Kaag has arrived in Suriname in an effort to head off further chaos around the cabinet’s plans to apologise for the Netherlands’ role in slavery on December 19. Kaag arrived at Zanderij airport at 7.30 pm and will hold talks with a number of ministers as well as president Chan Santokhi. Surinamese and Caribbean …

Sigrid Kaag arrives in Suriname for talks on slavery apology
2 years ago

Sigrid Kaag arrives in Suriname for talks on slavery apology

Dutch News  

Deputy PM and finance minister Sigrid Kaag has arrived in Suriname in an effort to head off further chaos around the cabinet’s plans to apologise for the Netherlands’ role in slavery on December 19. Kaag arrived at Zanderij airport at 7.30 pm and will hold talks with a number of ministers as well as president Chan Santokhi. Surinamese and Caribbean …

Court rejects demand to postpone Dutch State’s apology about history of slavery
2 years ago

Court rejects demand to postpone Dutch State’s apology about history of slavery

NL Times  

The Court in The Hague rejected demands from six Surinamese organizations to postpone the Dutch Cabinet’s plans to formally apologize for the country’s historical ties to slavery. They had asked the preliminary relief judge to issue an injunction to delay the national apology until 1 July, which marks the 150th anniversary that slavery was abolished in the entire Kingdom of …

Netherlands set to formally apologise for 250 years of slavery
2 years ago

Netherlands set to formally apologise for 250 years of slavery

Al Jazeera  

The apology is expected to redress how the Dutch exploited more than 600,000 people. Basically, everything that the Netherlands stole from the former colonies, especially Suriname, they carried out through slavery,” Colin de Bie, 27, with Dutch and Surinamese roots, told Al Jazeera. Dutch slave trade history The Netherlands’ involvement in slavery began in the 17th century when the transatlantic …

Cabinet almost certain to apologize for Dutch history of slavery on 19 December
2 years ago

Cabinet almost certain to apologize for Dutch history of slavery on 19 December

NL Times  

The Cabinet is expected to stick to 19 December as the date in which it will apologize for the history of slavery on behalf of the Dutch State. Last Thursday, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte would only say that a "meaningful moment" would take place that day. Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Sigrid Kaag had "intensive, but valuable" conversations with various …

Kaag to travel to Suriname to salvage plans to apologise for slavery
2 years ago

Kaag to travel to Suriname to salvage plans to apologise for slavery

Dutch News  

Finance minister Sigrid Kaag will visit Suriname this week on a fence-mending expedition after the government’s plans to apologise for slavery this month were roundly criticised in the former Dutch colonies. The South American country said it had not been consulted in advance on the proposed an apology by prime minister Mark Rutte in The Hague next Monday, December 19, …

Kaag to travel to Suriname to salvage plans to apologise for slavery
2 years ago

Kaag to travel to Suriname to salvage plans to apologise for slavery

Dutch News  

Finance minister Sigrid Kaag will visit Suriname this week on a fence-mending expedition after the government’s plans to apologise for slavery this month were roundly criticised in the former Dutch colonies. The South American country said it had not been consulted in advance on the proposed an apology by prime minister Mark Rutte in The Hague next Monday, December 19, …

Cabinet does not accept all demands for slavery apologies
2 years ago

Cabinet does not accept all demands for slavery apologies

NL Times  

The Cabinet will not adopt all the demands made by a group of advocacy organizations regarding the way in which the Cabinet will soon reflect on the history of slavery, according to a spokesperson for the Ministry of the Interior. In a letter quoted by the Dutch tv program Nieuwsuur on Saturday, the organizations demand a recovery fund for the …

Dutch slavery apology under fire as criticism about timing grows
2 years ago

Dutch slavery apology under fire as criticism about timing grows

Dutch News  

It remains unclear when the Dutch government will apologise for the Netherlands’ slavery past following prime minister Mark Rutte’s meeting with Surinamese and Caribbean community groups on Thursday. Campaigners say the government’s chosen date of December 19 is inappropriate and would prefer July 1 next year, which marks 150 years since slavery was actually abolished in the Netherlands. All Rutte …

Surinamese foundations file lawsuit to prevent rushed apology for slavery past
2 years ago

Surinamese foundations file lawsuit to prevent rushed apology for slavery past

NL Times  

Five Surinamese foundations in the Netherlands are filing a lawsuit over the Dutch government’s plans to apologize for the past history of slavery. The foundations want a temporary injunction to prevent the apology from being made on 19 December ahead of a verdict in the case, lawyer Joancy Breeveld confirmed after reporting by Trouw. "160 years after the of abolishment …

Dutch apology for slavery already mired in controversy
2 years ago

Dutch apology for slavery already mired in controversy

Dutch News  

The cabinet’s lack of communication about what exactly will happen on December 19, when the government is expected to formally apologise for the Netherlands’ role in slavery, has angered Surinamese organisations. Armand Zunder, of the Nationale Reparatie Commissie Suriname told the NRC the way the cabinet is handling the excuses is ‘totally unacceptable’ and ‘detrimental to the cause’. That is …

Dutch apology for slavery already mired in controversy
2 years ago

Dutch apology for slavery already mired in controversy

Dutch News  

The cabinet’s lack of communication about what exactly will happen on December 19, when the government is expected to formally apologise for the Netherlands’ role in slavery, has angered Surinamese organisations. Armand Zunder, of the Nationale Reparatie Commissie Suriname told the NRC the way the cabinet is handling the excuses is ‘totally unacceptable’ and ‘detrimental to the cause’. That is …

Dutch king should apologize for slavery, says advocates; Cabinet’s plan criticized
2 years ago

Dutch king should apologize for slavery, says advocates; Cabinet’s plan criticized

NL Times  

When the Netherlands issues its apologies for the country’s historical ties to the slave trade, it should be King Willem-Alexander who apologizes, said the Foundation for Honor and Reparations to the Victims of Slavery in Suriname. On Friday, following reports from the NOS, sources confirmed that on 19 December, eight Cabinet members will apologize for the history of slavery, including …

Dutch to apologise for role in slavery in December: NOS
2 years, 1 month ago

Dutch to apologise for role in slavery in December: NOS

Dutch News  

The Dutch government will make a formal apology for the Netherlands’ role in slavery on December 19 at eight different locations worldwide, sources in The Hague have told broadcaster NOS. The apology, which has been hinted at for several months, will be made by prime minister Mark Rutte in the Netherlands and by cabinet ministers in Suriname and the six …

Dutch to apologise for role in slavery in December: NOS
2 years, 1 month ago

Dutch to apologise for role in slavery in December: NOS

Dutch News  

The Dutch government will make a formal apology for the Netherlands’ role in slavery on December 19 at eight different locations worldwide, sources in The Hague have told broadcaster NOS. The apology, which has been hinted at for several months, will be made by prime minister Mark Rutte in the Netherlands and by cabinet ministers in Suriname and the six …

Rutte: Apologies for slavery too politically controversial for King
2 years, 1 month ago

Rutte: Apologies for slavery too politically controversial for King

NL Times  

Prime Minister Mark Rutte believes that when apologies are made for the Dutch history of slavery, it is not something which should be handled by the king. Rutte is expected speak in the Netherlands, Legal Protection Minister Franc Weerwind in Suriname and Kingdom Relations State Secretary State Secretary Alexandra van Huffelen will be in Curaçao. Various experts in the field …

Dutch government to apologise for role in colonial-era slavery
2 years, 1 month ago

Dutch government to apologise for role in colonial-era slavery

The Hindu  

The Dutch government will apologise later this year for its role in slavery during the nation's colonial past, a member of Prime Minister Mark Rutte's Cabinet said on Friday. Minister for Legal Protection Franc Weerwind confirmed a report by broadcaster RTL that the government planned to make a formal apology in December. The government also plans to spend 200 million …

Dutch will apologise for slavery past in December: RTL Nieuws
2 years, 1 month ago

Dutch will apologise for slavery past in December: RTL Nieuws

Dutch News  

The Dutch government is poised to make a formal apology for slavery and set up a €200 million fund for projects aimed at raising awareness of the Netherlands’ past as a slaving nation, RTL reported on Thursday evening. In addition, prime minister Mark Rutte said during a short official visit to the former Dutch colony of Suriname in September that …

Dutch will apologise for slavery past in December: RTL Nieuws
2 years, 1 month ago

Dutch will apologise for slavery past in December: RTL Nieuws

Dutch News  

The Dutch government is poised to make a formal apology for slavery and set up a €200 million fund for projects aimed at raising awareness of the Netherlands’ past as a slaving nation, RTL reported on Thursday evening. In addition, prime minister Mark Rutte said during a short official visit to the former Dutch colony of Suriname in September that …

Sources: Cabinet will apologize for the history of Dutch slavery this year
2 years, 1 month ago

Sources: Cabinet will apologize for the history of Dutch slavery this year

NL Times  

The Cabinet will issue an apology for the Netherlands' history and connections to slavery, sources confirmed after a story about the subject was reported by RTL Nieuws. That month, the Cabinet will respond to the report from the Dialooggroep Slavernijverleden, the advisory board that put together an extensive report recommending that the State of the Netherlands recognize its role in …

Majority of MP’s want Netherlands to apologize for slavery practices
2 years, 2 months ago

Majority of MP’s want Netherlands to apologize for slavery practices

NL Times  

The Dutch State needs to apologize for the Netherlands’ history of slavery, parliamentarians who visited Suriname, Curacao, and Bonaire in August said in a letter to the Cabinet. The MPs see an apology for the Netherlands’ slavery past as “an essential beginning to recognition and recovery.” Their conversations with residents of Suriname, Curacao, and Bonaire showed that apologies are important …

MPs travel to Suriname to talk about slavery history
2 years, 4 months ago

MPs travel to Suriname to talk about slavery history

NL Times  

Nine members of the Tweede Kamer have left for Suriname to delve into the colonial past of the Netherlands, before leaving on Tuesday for Curaçao and Bonaire with the same agenda. For him, it is also important that Suriname itself takes a position on the history of slavery, making apologies and reparations. And on Bonaire, the MPs hold various discussions …

Dutch Central Bank and province of Noord-Holland apologize for historic roles in slavery
2 years, 5 months ago

Dutch Central Bank and province of Noord-Holland apologize for historic roles in slavery

NL Times  

On Friday's national commemoration of the abolition of slavery in Suriname and the Dutch Antilles, the Dutch Central Bank and province of Noord-Holland both apologized for their roles in slavery in the 19th century. Commissioner of the King of the province, Arthur van Dijk, offered the apology on behalf of Noord-Holland at the opening of an exhibition about slavery in …

Dutch State advised to apologize for slavery, make July 1 a national holiday
3 years, 5 months ago

Dutch State advised to apologize for slavery, make July 1 a national holiday

NL Times  

The Dutch State should offer a formal apology for its participation and establishment of the slave trade during its colonial past, a government-commissioned advisory group recommended in its final report on Thursday. The Netherlands must recognize that slavery and the slave trade were crimes against humanity and acknowledge that the consequences of it can still be felt through society, the …

Discover Related