The Dutch government has agreed to apologize for its involvement in 250 years of slavery, in what is being perceived as an effort to come to terms with its colonial past.
On December 19, a formal apology will be given, and the government is hoping that this would atone for the way the Netherlands took advantage of more than 600,000 individuals who served as slaves in its former colonies.
At a recent media event in The Hague, Prime Minister Mark Rutte stated that this topic will reach a ‘critical point’ on December 19 of this year.
This decision and the timing of the soon-to-be-made announcement by the Dutch government has, however, come under scrutiny and groups from former Dutch colonies like Suriname in South America have criticised it, calling it whimsical and that they were not consulted about the date.
They also feel that the decision was made in a haphazard and hurried manner. Instead, they feel that the apology should have been issued on July 1, 2023, a day that is significant because it marks the 150th anniversary of the Netherlands abolishing slavery in its former colonies.
Post Your Comments