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In Aruba, a demonstrator interrupted a lecture attended by Princess Amalia, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima to draw attention to the slavery past. The lecture on the characteristics of Caribbean law was given at the Faculty of Law of the University of Aruba. The Oranges were guests there as part of their tour through the Caribbean part of the Kingdom.
Images show that the woman, who is active in Aruba for the Pueblo Prome party, holds up a flag while singing the gospel song Oh freedom sings about slavery. Shortly after her action, she was escorted out of the room and the lecture continued.
Watch the footage of the protest and Amalia’s reaction below:
Demonstrator sings protest song during lecture for Oranjes in Aruba
The demonstrator is Gisele Sint Jago, who is not only a politician but also a master’s student in law. As a student, she was allowed to attend the lecture hall of the university. It was her intention to present a manifesto to King Willem-Alexander, she tells NOS.
In that manifesto she calls on the king, also on behalf of her party Pueblo Prome, to apologize for the Dutch slavery past. She also calls for reparations for the descendants of enslaved people and wants slavery to be enshrined in law as a crime against humanity.
“No royal apology, but a royal visit, it won’t clean our mouth,” the document says. “Compensation commensurate with the crime is what we claim in the here and now.”
‘Doubted for a long time’
In an explanation, Sint Jago says that she has long doubted her action. “I hadn’t told anyone in advance, in case I didn’t dare.” Only the leader of her political party knew about it. “It was completely my idea.”
Sint Jago has been living in Aruba for 18 years now, but spent the previous 29 years in the Netherlands. In her own words, she experienced what slavery meant there and how the Dutch slavery past still affects society.
Slavery apologies
King Willem-Alexander, Queen Máxima and Princess Amalia arrived on Bonaire on Friday and then traveled on to Aruba. The slavery past of the Caribbean part of the Kingdom is one of the main themes during their visit, which will last until February 9.
On Monday, December 19, Prime Minister Rutte bid on behalf of the Dutch State apologies for the slavery past of the Netherlands, after weeks of discussion and criticism. Critics would have preferred the apology to be issued on July 1, 2023, Keti Koti. Then it will be 150 years ago that slavery also came to an end in practice on the Caribbean islands and in Suriname.
Moreover, the critics believe that the apologies should not have been offered by Rutte, but by the king. The prime minister said on December 19 that Willem-Alexander feels personally very involved in the subject. It was previously known that the king therefore had a conduct independent research to the role of the Oranges in colonial history.
The king will also be present at the Keti Koti commemoration in Amsterdam on 1 July, but it is not clear whether he will also apologize for the Dutch slavery past.
