Breaking: St Maarten Minister Plenipotentiary René Violenus “Good 4 Hour Slavery Discussion at the Catshuis”
Participants are happy with the slavery discussion at the Catshuis
https://nieuws.nl/algemeen/20221208/deelnemers-zijn-blij-met-het-slavernijgesprek-op-het-catshuis/
Those present who were invited to come and talk about the Dutch apologies for the slavery past at the Catshuis are happy with the way the conversation came about. “We spoke with respect,” says the Curaçao actor Roland Colastica. Beforehand, there was criticism that the cabinet had listened too little to those involved. Video 1 Justice Minister Anna Rablis Richardson Truckers Have To Follow Strict New Decree
Prime Minister Mark Rutte, ministers and state secretaries spoke for more than four hours in the official residence of the Prime Minister. People were invited from the Netherlands, Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten and Suriname who from various backgrounds are involved in the discussion about the aftermath of slavery.
“I really felt heard for the first time,” said Mercedes Zandwijken, founder of the Keti Koti Dialogue Table. She thinks it is good that the cabinet has shown that it wants to talk to the communities concerned about the excuses.
Machiel Keestra, co-founder of the same foundation, thinks that those present made it clear to the cabinet that apologies should not be made hastily on December 19. “If there is a consensus in this group that the apologies are unacceptable, then we shouldn’t do that.”
Rene Violenus, the minister plenipotentiary of Sint Maarten, speaks of a “good conversation” and says he is “hopeful about the future”. He said that the Dutch cabinet has shown that it is open to suggestions.
According to Linda Nooitmeer, chair of the National Institute of the Dutch Slavery History and Legacy (NiNsee), it was necessary to have a good conversation. “There was some unrest and that was a pity. That is of course also because a lot has been leaked.” Rutte himself also called the leaks about the cabinet’s intentions “annoying”. https://www.sxmgovernment.com
Nooitmeer says attendees agreed that it’s important to “bring the communities, the communities of people with African roots,” because that’s what it’s all about. According to her, this can be started from now on.
At the end of November, it was leaked that the cabinet plans to apologize for slavery on December 19, in the run-up to a commemorative year. This led to the astonishment and frustration of several politicians, activists, organizations and others who would have liked to be more involved.
On July 1, it is exactly 160 years ago that slavery was officially abolished and 150 years ago that it also came to an end in practice. For that reason, that date is of great symbolic importance to many.