DIn a historic move, King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands has officially apologized for his country’s involvement in slavery. At a commemoration on Saturday in Amsterdam to mark the 150th anniversary of the abolition of slavery in the former Dutch colonies, Willem-Alexander said to loud applause: “Today I stand before you as your king and as part of the government. Today I apologize personally.”
The 56-year-old monarch gave his speech to thousands of people from South America’s Suriname and the Caribbean islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao, whose ancestors were kept as slaves. Willem-Alexander underlined that slavery and the slave trade constituted “crimes against humanity”.
He felt “personally and deeply affected,” said the king in his live televised address. The rulers of the House of Orange – from which Willem-Alexander descended – would have done nothing against slavery. He asks “forgiveness today” for this “crystal clear omission”.
The King has now personally and publicly endorsed an apology that Prime Minister Mark Rutte made on behalf of the Netherlands and the King at the end of last year. Willem-Alexander’s statement was greeted with great applause by those attending the event, including Rutte and numerous other government officials. At the end of 2022, Willem-Alexander commissioned an investigation into the role of the royal house of Oranje-Nassau during the colonial period.
Royalty benefited from slavery
According to a recently published study commissioned by the Dutch government, Willem-Alexander’s ancestors William III, William IV, and William V were among the greatest beneficiaries of slavery in the Dutch colonies. Accordingly, between 1675 and 1770, the royal family made a profit of 545 million euros from the colonial areas in today’s terms.
The anniversary of the abolition of slavery in the Dutch colonies is referred to as “Keti Koti” – which means “breaking the chains” in Sranantongo, one of the languages of Suriname. At the event with the King in Amsterdam’s Oosterpark, many in attendance wore colorful Surinamese clothing.
The king’s words were welcomed by those present. “He took responsibility, so I forgive him,” said Arnolda Vaal, 50, who wore the traditional dress of a slave.
In the 16th and 17th centuries, Dutch slave traders shipped around 600,000 people out of Africa, mostly to South America and the Caribbean. The Netherlands were among the most important colonial powers in the 17th century. Recently, there has been a growing awareness that the richness of Dutch cities and museums is based on colonial history.
Slavery in Suriname and other Dutch colonies was officially abolished on July 1, 1863. In fact, however, it only ended after a ten-year transition period in 1873.
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