Disappointment on apology remaining forthcoming from the Netherlands

WILLEMSTAD — The foundation Ban Sembra Pas (BSP) is deeply disappointed that the government and Parliament of Curaçao haven’t demanded an official apology from the Netherlands for the 229 years during which a large percentage of the Curaçao people lived in slavery imposed by the Netherlands from 1634 to 1863.

On April 16th 2012 BSP made a public appeal to the Parliament and the Council of Minister to demand an apology from the Netherlands within the framework of celebrating the Year of Tula and commemorating 150 years of slavery abolition. “An apology is entirely justified and necessary for a friendly and honest closing of the darkest chapter of the history of mankind. The Netherlands played a prominent role in this”, said BSP. “The people, who lived and worked as slaved on the plantations in Bándabou, led an inhuman life for over two centuries. The Netherlands is morally obligated to apologize for this.” At the time BSP also appealed to other Curaçao organizations to raise their voice without fear and adopt a critical attitude, stating that patriotic Curaçao people are to boycott the commemoration of 150 years slavery abolition in the Netherlands if the latter doesn’t apologize. “Tula and the other sales deserve that Curaçao people defend them and commemorate their historic heritage. It will be a humiliation for Tula if patriotic Curaçao people raise glasses with the Dutch government on July 1st 2013 without an official apology from the latter for its slavery past”, said BSP.