King William of the Netherlands apologized this Saturday for slavery on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of emancipation in the former colonies of Suriname (South America) and the Netherlands Antilles in the Caribbean. The apologies, made at a ceremony called Keti Koti (Broken Chain) in Amsterdam, were met with cheers and applause from an audience mostly composed of descendants of slaves. His words are doubly historic. According to a study commissioned by the Dutch government, it is the first time that the sovereign as head of state has felt the consequences of colonial control and his direct ancestors have enriched themselves from an inseparable system of slave trade. Last December, Prime Minister Mark Rutte also acknowledged responsibility for his country’s slave-owning past.
“I stand before you as your king and I offer my heartfelt apologies for slavery,” the monarch said. He added, “I am with you in the capital of a country that has fought against tyranny and for freedom, that has outlawed slavery within its borders but has not done so abroad.” Later he recognized the value and respect , which all traditions and beliefs deserve, and expressed the wish to live “in a country where we all recognize each other, without racism, discrimination and exploitation”. His words, in turn, mark the beginning of the commemorative year that commemorates this tragic legacy across the kingdom. Acknowledging the current impact of colonial abuses and committing to reverse them is the demand of all organizations involved in this struggle.
Chronologically, 1863 marks the 160th anniversary of the abolition of slavery in Suriname and the Caribbean Netherlands Antilles. However, over the next decade, freed slaves were forced to work for poverty wages to allow their previous owners to recoup the investment made when purchasing them. Because of this, it is believed that the chains mentioned in the expression Keti Koti were finally broken 150 years ago, in 1873. People from Asia were also brought to Suriname to work in appalling conditions under Dutch colonial rule. These included poor farmers from India, China, and Java (Indonesia), among others, who signed abusive contracts, breaching which could result in penalties.
The Dutch colonial period lasted from the 17th to the 20th century and included various processes of independence, including Indonesia’s independence. The slave trade mainly covered South Africa and Asia as well as Suriname, Brazil and the Caribbean, and the plantations grew tobacco, cocoa, cotton, coffee and sugar. Historians estimate that Dutch ships transported 5% of the 12 million people subjected to the European slave trade between the 15th and 19th centuries across the Atlantic. The calculation appears in the Dutch canon, which condenses the national history.
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