Jakarta –
King Willem-Alexander apologized for slavery and the influence it exerted Dutch. He recognized the act as a crime against humanity.
Reported from CNN, Monday (3/7/2023), Willem made this public apology during a ceremony commemorating the 160th anniversary of the legal abolition of slavery in the Netherlands. He also pointed out that racism in Dutch society was a problem until recently and not everyone would support his apology.
“On this day given the history of Dutch slavery, I apologize for this crime against humanity,” said King Willem.
However, he is optimistic that time will change things. He claimed that slavery was completely abolished at this time.
“Times have changed and Keti Koti the chain has completely broken,” he said.
Those words were greeted with cheers and applause from thousands of spectators at the national slavery monument in Amsterdam’s Oosterpark.
Keti Koti is Surinamese words meaning ‘chain breaking’ and is an annual event on July 1 as a day of remembrance slavery and celebration of freedom. The apology also comes amid a wider reconsideration of the Netherlands’ colonial past, including involvement in the Atlantic slave trade and slavery in its former Asian colonies.
Willem admits that the dark history of slavery is a heavy burden for his country. He mentioned the slavery that the Dutch did in the past as crimes against humanity.
“Today, I stand before you. Today, as a king and as a member of the government, I make this apology myself. And, I feel a burden in my heart and soul,” he said.
“But today, on this anniversary, I apologize for this clear failure to confront these crimes against humanity,” he stressed.
Willem’s speech follows Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s apology late last year for the state’s role in the slave trade and slavery. Public expressions of remorse are part of a wider reckoning with colonial history in the West that has been driven by the Black Lives Matter movement in recent years.
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2023-07-03 04:05:43
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