Dutch King Willem-Alexander issued a historic royal apology on Saturday for the involvement of the Netherlands in the exploitation of slavery, saying he was “personally and deeply affected”.
Thousands of descendants of slaves from the South American nation of Suriname and the islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao participated in Amsterdam’s “Keti Koti” celebrations commemorating 150 years since the practice was abolished.
#king Willem-Alexander apologized for speaking Dutch in a speech #slaverypast #ketikoti23 #excuse pic.twitter.com/wiwXB1jBc0
– NOS Radio 1 News (@NOSRadio1) July 1, 2023
“Today I stand before you as king and as part of the government. Today I personally apologize,” said Willem-Alexander to the applause of the crowd.
“I experience this intensely with heart and soul,” the monarch told the participants of the event.
Prime Minister Mark Rutte had already officially apologized on behalf of the cabinet in December.
“Slave trade and slavery are recognized as a crime against humanity,” the king said.
“The princes and rulers of the House of Orange have not taken any action against this.”
“Today I apologize for the obvious lack of action,” Willem-Alexander said in the speech, which was broadcast live on television.
Before the ceremony, descendants of slaves asked the king to take the opportunity to apologize.
“The Afro-Dutch community considers this important,” Linda Nooitmeer, president of the National Institute for the History and Heritage of Dutch Slavery, told NOS public broadcaster.
‘Colonial Tribute’
since the move Black lives matter originated in the United States, the Netherlands started an often difficult debate about the colonial past and the slave trade.
And the Dutch royal family is often at the center of the debate.
A Dutch study published in June found that between 1675 and 1770, the royal family earned 545 million euros in today’s terms in the colonies, where slavery was widespread.
2022, King Willem-Alexander announced that he would abandon the Royal Golden Coach, the carriage in which he was traditionally transported on state occasions, because it had images of slavery on the sides.
On one side panel was an image called “Homage to the Colonies”, which depicted black people on their knees handing over goods such as cocoa and sugar cane to white gentlemen.
In December, Rutte described slavery as a “crime against humanity” when he issued his long overdue apology, and Dutch ministers traveled to seven former colonies.
The king said in his Christmas speech days later that the government’s apology was the “beginning of a long journey”.
Source: DN
