2023-07-01 20:00:12
Willem-Alexander spoke on Saturday at an event marking 150 years of freeing slaves in the former Dutch colonies.
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Published on 01/07/2023 22:00
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The King of the Netherlands Wilem-Alexander, July 1, 2023, in Amsterdam (Netherlands). (SHUTTERSTOCK/SIPA/SIPA)
The King of the Netherlands Willem-Alexander issued his official apology on Saturday July 1 for his country’s involvement in slavery, saying he felt “personally and extremely” affected. “Today I stand before you as a king and a member of government. Today I personally apologize to you,” said Willem-Alexander to cheers. The monarch spoke at an event marking 150 years since the emancipation of slaves in former colonies, seven months following a similar apology was issued by the Dutch head of government.
Thousands of descendants of people enslaved in the former South American colony of Suriname as well as the Caribbean islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao attended the celebrations. “I feel this deep in my heart and in my soul”said the king, before adding: “The slave trade and slavery are recognized as crimes once morest humanity”. “Kings of the House of Orange [dont descend le monarque actuel] did nothing to prevent it. Today, I ask forgiveness for this inaction”added Willem-Alexander.
Very lucrative colonies for the Dutch crown
Commemorations marking the actual end of slavery in the colonies take place every year in Amsterdam, a celebration called “Gate Coat”either “break the chains” in Sranantongo, one of the languages of Suriname. The commemorations are the first of their kind since the government issued a formal apology in December for the Netherlands’ slavery past.
Since the emergence of the Black Lives Matter movement in the United States, the Netherlands has engaged in an often difficult debate over its colonial past that made it one of the richest countries in the world. According to a report commissioned by the Dutch Interior Ministry and published in June, between 1675 and 1770 the colonies brought the royal family the equivalent of 545 million euros, at a time when slavery was widespread. .
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