Bonaire Foundation calls on Netherlands to fulfill international decolonisation obligations

Correspondence from James Finies, Foundation Nos Ke Boneiru Bek to the Delegation of the Senate of the Netherlands

Subject: Visit of delegation First Chamber to Caribbean part Kingdom, 16-23 April 2016

Dear Sirs,

In connection with your official travel-work visit to the BES islands on 19, 20 and April 21, 2016, we bring the following to your attention:

Your visit intention is for supplementing and preparation of the parliamentary handling and debate on June 21 a.s. of the evaluations of the new political structure in the Kingdom by October 10, 2010 where you will take your impartial position.

Your task as co-legislator and approval of bills from the Second Chamber is based primarily on the technical aspects, the reliability and consistency with other laws. You have taken your responsibility already earlier on March 21, 2014 to stop, further anchoring, the bill of October 23, 2012 of Constitutional change, until after the evaluation of the constitutional reform.

In addition to administrative and political responses you are particularly interested in the experience of the general population. The fact that political-constitutional structure resorts under higher law of self-determination, and self-determination is a human right which is exclusive of the peoples and not to administrators and politicians should give you enough reason and strength to respect these higher laws, to guarantee, not to violate them but to repair or correction. So your assessment is in this case exclusively on the rights of the people of Bonaire, which has inherited and acquired these rights because of our shared colonial past and your own agreements of the decolonization treaties in the United Nations.

Your Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations has also re-confirmed this officially to us: letter dated January 8, 2014, reg.nr # 2014-0000012853: "That the people of Bonaire has the right to let its voice be heard and the right to self-determination, is an hereditary that is not under discussion and is fully endorsed by the Cabinet. "

On December 18, 2015, the legitimate democratic representation of the people of Bonaire, the Island Council, consulted the people of this Bonaire through a referendum. The Bonaire nation could make its voice heard on the "constitutional position of Bonaire" and whether they "agree or are against the implementation of the direct link with the Netherlands as of 10-10-10." The outcome or result leaves no room for mis-interpretations and doubt, having rejected the interpretation of the state structure by 10/10/10, the annexation of the BES islands, Bonaire, as a public council body, "special municipality" in Dutch Constitution under Article 134.

For clarity and correct comparison ,5040 Bonerian vote No, with turnout of 61% voters, and more than 65% No-votes is the same as 6.75 million Dutch in the Netherlands voted against (and that would have caused a revolution in the Netherlands).

It is now very clear that there is no legal basis and reasonable grounds exist to further force the state structure, enforce and impose this against the rights and wishes and voice of the Bonerians people, whom you have made miserable since 10- 10-10 (the same happened to St Eustatius, who also has its voice heard on 17 December 2014). So your current political position goes frontally against international law, against the fundamental principles of our customary international and human rights.

Also, it is now easier for you to take the appropriate lawful decision because it was more difficult before the referendum of December 2015,because although you came to recognize and had agreed that it was illegal, but you kept marching in, because "Bonaire themselves have chosen this." Now it is clear that since 18 December 2015, the population of Bonaire clearly showed: "not to have chosen this themselves."

Briefly, the people of Bonaire, in accordance with international law is the only one with the right to speak out for the determination of their political structure, their future, and because this structure 10-10-10 was temporary for the period of 5 years, and the people of Bonaire made their voice heard on 18 December 2015 and rejected this Illegal state structure and this decision and wishes must be respected by all administrators and politicians of Bonaire and the Netherlands.

Too many to mention, but in addition to all other previous negative studies, demonstrations, protest letters etc, yet an example that you do not like as administrators , government, to have on your conscience and c.v. would like to have. The research of your own Royal Institute of Southeast Asian and Caribbean Studies (KITLV), the question about your Dutch representation and presence in Bonaire, 73% of the Bonerian population are negative about this and that this is primarily by the current constitutional state link and structure.

Finally, we ask you politely but yet urgently your help, to do everything in your ability as soon as possible to begin the dismantling and transfer and repatriation process of your administration because the situation is restrictive among the population.

We would like to continue forward with you in the Kingdom, but under the conditions of the New Kingdom after the 2nd World War, which the Netherlands has agreed with at the United Nations, and you to fulfill your decolonization obligations and guarantees, guarantees and promotes the political freedom and equality of all peoples of the Kingdom, so that we the people of Bonaire, with mutual respect, equal and free, together with you to build a prosperous Kingdom.

Hoping of having informed you sufficiently, we remain awaiting your positive response.

With kind regards
James Finies, 

 Foundation Nos Ke Boneiru Bek

cc/ Bestuur van Openbaar Lichaam Bonaire Eilandsraad van het Openbaar Lichaam Bonaire Leden van de vaste commissie van de 1ste en 2de Kamer. 

Nos Ke Boneiru of Bonaire rejects participation in Dutch referendum on EU-Ukraine Association Agreement

(Translations below)

James Fines

Nos Ke Boneiru Bek  

Letter To: The Minister of the Interior 

and Kingdom Relations, R.H.A. Plasterk

and to the

gezaghebber di Bonaire, E. E. Rijna

Kalendijk, 4 april 2016

Tema: invitashon pa 1e referendum konsultativo riba diarason 6 april 2016

Apresiabel senjoresnan,

Segun boso kampanja di informashon nos a konstata ku boso ta invita e poblashon di Karibe Hulandes pa partisipa na un referendum konsultativo riba 6 april benidero riba  “lei di aprobashon di akuerdo di asosashon entre Komunidat Oropeo i Oekraine” Pa e referendum aki boso servisio a parti karchi di vota bao di e poblashon Boneriano ku e intenshon ku e poblashon pa bai vota riba 6 april benidero ku si nan ta di akuerdo o kontra e lei aki.

En konekshon ku ariba menshona nos lo kier trese lo siguiente na boso atenshon:

Ta ironiko ku boso ta invita e poblashon Boneriano ku korto tempu pasa, 18 desember ultimo, den un referendum jama pa nos representashon di pueblo, esnan demokratiko skohe pa e pueblo Boneriano, nos raad, e referendum tabata “riba e posishon estatal di Boneiru”i ku nan ta “eens o kontra e kontenido ku a wordu duna na laso direkto ku Hulanda” na 10-10-10 di aktual ilegal strukturaestatal, e islan BES su integrashon-partial-den konstealshon Hulandes, i ku a wordu rechasa (5040= 65% No-kontra-voto).                                                                              

Mesun resultado tabatin ku e referendum di St Eustatius riba 17 desember 2014, kaminda na tambe ja kaba a rechasa e laso aktual ku Hulanda i a skohe pa un proseso-di-autonomia o gobernashon propio.

Ta inkonprendibel kon boso komo gobernantenan responsabel i kontra boso mes akuerdonan internashonal i kontra lei internashonal i e fundamento legal di nos estado di derecho, e bos di e pueblo Boneriano i di e pueblo si Sint Eustatius, ta neglisha e rechaso legitimo i boso okupashon i administrashon ilegal di e pueblonan humilde aki i ta presenta un otro stunt demokratiko i kier enbolbi o maniobra nos den boso proseso demokratiko Hulandes-Oropeo. 

Por ta boso ta di opinion pa den futuro bagaletisa i overrule e bos demokratiko di e pueblonan aki dor di e derecho di vota aki? Pues ku nos por a partisipa den boso proseso i mekanismo demokratiko, boso referendum-konsulktativo?

Pa medio di esaki ami ta deklara ofisialmente di no ta parisipa den boso referendum Oropeo-Hulandes pasobra ami segun fundamento legal internashonal ta pertenese na e isla o teritorio i pueblo Boneiru komo parti di Reino Hulandes i no ta pertenese na teritorio i pueblo Hulandes na Oropa ku tambe ta pertenese na Reino Hulandes i ta wordu goberna pa 1ste i 2de Kamer.

Pero boso ta duna nos e oportunidat ku refrendum aki si pa ilustra o kompara e situashon politiko entre Okraina -Krimea i esun Hulanda -Boneiru.

Pa nos komparabel kaminda boso kontra boso mesun akuerdonan i lei internashonal bao di intimidashon abierto i publiko di nos gobernantenan a forsa nos den e struktura aki i anexa e teritorionan di islanan-BES, pues Boneiru riba 10-10-10.                                                             

Un biaha mas nos kier menshona ku boso a hasi e pueblonan humilde di Boneiru i Sint Eustatius hopi infelis desde 10-10-10 i ku boso tin ku realisa ku esaki mester stop i ku boso mester respeta i juda realisa e deseo di e pueblonan aki.

Na final nos kier mustra boso riba un investigashon di boso mes ekspertonan, esaki los for di e raport-Spies ku a pone lus riba e BES-pesadia i a konklui su frakaso kompleto, ku boso Koninklijk Instituut voor Taal-, Land- en Volkenkunde (KITLV) su investigashon riba e pregunta di boso representashon i presensia Hulandes riba Boneiru, ku 73% di e poblashon Boneriano ta negativo riba esaki i ku esaki ta prinisipalmente dor di e aktual relashon konstitushonal-estatal ku Hulanda. 

Pues nos konseho na boso ta pa respeta e bos di e pueblo Boneriano, e referendum di 18 desember 2015 i e diferente investigashonan ku ta papia palabra kla i pone komienso na e proseso pa garantisa nos derechonan di autodeterminashon, de-kolonisashon i derechonan humano i juda nos re-establese i realisa esakinan. Pues retrosede boso aktual maneho ku ta indika klaramente riba re-populashon i neokolonisashon Hulandes di e humilde pueblo Boneriano.

Atentamente,

James Finies, Nos Ke Boneiru Bek

_____

To: The Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations, R.H.A. Plasterk The Governor of Bonaire, E. E. Rijna

Kale Dijk, April 4, 2016

Subject: Call for 1st consultative referendum on Wednesday, April 6th, 2016

Dear Sirs,

According to your information campaign we have observed that the invites the people of the Caribbean Netherlands to participate in an advisory referendum on 6 April, the "Law for approval of the Association Agreement between the EU and Ukraine" This referendum has your service voting passes distributed among the population of Bonaire with the intention that the population will vote on April 6 as whether they are for or against.

In connection with the above, we bring the following to your attention:

It is extremely ironic that you Bonairean people invite to recently, on 18 December in our representative democracy, our island council voted referendum "on the constitutional position of Bonaire" and whether they "agree or against the implementation of the direct link with Netherlands' per 10-10-10 this current illegitimate and illegal state, the BES islands partial integration-related condition, have rejected oficieel (5040 = 65% No-against-votes). The same result was St Eustatius referendum on 17 desember 2014, who also rejected the current relationship with the Netherlands and has opted for autonomy process. 

It is almost incomprehensible how as responsible drivers your international conventions and to international law and the legal basis of our democratic state, the voice of the Boneriaans people and the people of St Eustatius, the legitimate rejection of your Illegal occupation and administration of these humble people ignore and relist an Illegal democratic stunt, would involve or inluizen by us in your own Dutch-European democratic process. Are you perhaps planning to bagalitiseren the democratic voice of the peoples in the future and to overrule this franchise ?, so that we may have condensed dissipation in your democratic process and mechanism, your consultative referendum?

Herewith I declare officially not to participate in your Euro-Dutch referendum because I under international law according to the overseas territory and people of Bonaire in the Kingdom of the Netherlands belong and not to the territory and people of the Netherlands in Europe controlled by your first and second chamber.

You offer it the opportunity with this referendum to draw the political situation and comparing our view with Ukraine-Crimea and Netherlands-Bonaire. For us similar to that Bonaire at your own arrangements and conventions and international law our drivers under open and public intimidation in this state context, and forced the territories of the BES islands Bonaire on 10-10-10. 

Once again we inform you that you these humble people, the Bonairean and Statian made miserable since and you have to realize that this must stop and should respect and help meet the needs of these peoples. Finally, I would point to a study conducted independently of the Spies report by your own Eksperten by light throughout BES nightmare and concluded the complete failure of this, the Royal Institute of Southeast Asian and Caribbean Studies (KITLV) research, the question about your Dutch representation and presence in Bonaire, 73% of the population Boneriaans be negative about this and that it is primarily by the current constitutional state context and structure.

So our advice to you is to respect the voice of the Boneriaans people, the referendum of 18 desember 2015 and various studies speak clearly and to initiate the process to ensure our self-determination, de-colonization and human rights, repair and help realize. Thus, withdrawal of your current policy denoting visible on Dutch re-population and neo-colonization of the Boneriaans people.

With kind regards,

James Finies, Nos Ke Boneiru Bek.

Cc. Directors of Public Body Bonaire Island Council of the Public Body Bonaire Members of the Standing Committee Member of the Standing Committee of the 1st and 2nd Room