Groningen Apologizes for Function in Slavery: Mayor Schuiling’s Speech and Monument Plans

The town of Groningen has apologized for the function performed by the town council within the historical past of slavery. Mayor Schuiling apologized to the descendants of people that had been enslaved at a gathering tonight on behalf of the city.

The town council responds to the outcomes of the analysis which made the town primarily based on Groningen’s historical past of slavery. That analysis confirmed that Groningen performed an vital function throughout the West India Firm (WIC), which transported round 300,000 enslaved individuals from Africa to America.

In keeping with the researchers, metropolis and county directors boarded the WIC and made cash by transporting and promoting enslaved individuals. Groningen was additionally the ninth shareholder within the WIC and subsequently chargeable for each ninth ship used.

In keeping with the researchers, the Groningen ships forcibly transported round 33,000 individuals from West Africa to Central and South America. About 13 % of these trapped wouldn’t have survived that cross. The researchers additionally discovered connections between Groningen and the Dutch East India Firm (VOC). Schuiling known as the examine’s findings “as clear as they’re embarrassing,” experiences stated North RTV.

“The directors of Groningen knowingly and repeatedly selected to counterpoint themselves on the expense of freedom, human dignity and the lives of the slaves,” he stated in his speech. “And so they not solely enabled these practices, they continued them too.On the assembly that was specifically organized tonight there was additionally dancing and a poem was recited.

The town desires two separate monuments locations within the metropolis, one for the victims of the African-American slave commerce and one for the victims of the Asian slave commerce within the then Dutch East Indies, now Indonesia.

Descendants of trapped individuals are given management in order that the monuments “do justice to their needs, traditions and emotions”, in line with Schuiling.

The mayor additionally praised the individuals who made the analysis on the historical past of slavery attainable. “You could have made the problem seen and thought of what was hidden and hidden earlier than. “