Prime Minister Mark Rutte seems to have repaired relations after the false start on the slavery apology issue. This is apparent from conversations with a number of guests at the Catshuis.
,,I am more positive after this meeting”, says Dagmar Oudshoorn, chairman of the advisory board dialogue group on the past of slavery. “It is important to have felt that the intention is good, which has been spoken by all the ministers present. They are willing to listen and learn.”
The conversation took much longer than planned. Joyce Sylvester, chairman of the state commission against Discrimination and Racism, was also very pleased. “It was a respectful meeting in which everyone listened carefully to each other. Bridges have been laid, we will continue to talk and build together. The dialogue has started, a historic moment.”
The Catshuis session had a heavy cabinet delegation with prime minister, ministers and state secretaries who talked to people from Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Suriname and the Netherlands who are involved in the debate on the aftermath of slavery from various positions.
‘Apologies must be dignified’
“The team of ministers radiated: we want to do something,” says Linda Nooitmeer of the National Institute for the Dutch Slavery History and Heritage (NiNsee). when you talk to each other, the apologies feel sincere.”
In the commemorative year 2023, work is being done on a so-called Recovery Plan. Nevermore: ,,There is a price tag attached to it. By involving the communities of descendants in the recovery process, it becomes clear what is needed.”
‘Personal journey’ Rutte
In his opening speech, according to those present, Rutte said that he has made “a personal journey” in terms of realizing that slavery still has an impact today and how big that impact is. He referred, for example, to a parliamentary debate with Sylvana Simons, whose family suffered from slavery. Earlier this year, Rutte said that he felt no emotion when apologizing for slavery because it was so long ago.
,,It is a learning process,” says one of those present, ,,a lot of space and time has been made for us.” The meeting was very emotional, because everything went wrong in the run-up to this sensitive process. For example, December 8 was an unfortunate date for the Catshuis meeting, because the December murders in Suriname were committed on that day. Rutte stated that December 19 is an ‘arbitrary date’, which the cabinet is sticking to.
‘Snippets of information’
Rutte and all other ministers exhausted themselves in the Catshuis to distance themselves from the leaking of information. Afterwards, Rutte said: “It is extremely annoying that parts of plans leaked. Then everyone has to respond to snippets of information.”
The leak had caused a lot of emotions and confusion. Such as the fact that eight other ministers in the current and former parts of the kingdom would also apologize. That is not true. If Rutte apologizes on December 19, seven other ministers will be approachable for the local community on the Caribbean islands and Suriname.
Those present urged to apologize on July 1, 2023, because it will be exactly 160 years ago that slavery was officially abolished.
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