Lieutenant Governor of the Public Entity Bonaire
The Government of Bonaire
The Island Council
of the Government of the Public Entity of Bonaire
Mr. Ronald
Plasterk, Minister of Interior and Kingdom Relations (BZK)
Mr. Wilbert Stolte,
Office of the Kingdom Representative
Permanent Committee
Members,
Permanent Committee
Members of the 1st and 2nd Chamber,
Kralendijk, 10 Oktober 2013
Dear Authorities,
Today, October 10, 2013 is exactly three
(3) years that the people of Bonaire, St Eustatius and Saba has been incorporated or annexed in the Dutch State Order,
Polity,and without her
explicit and legitimate consent. Your responsibilities as representatives of
our people to their welfare is
priority and paramount in this
context but also extremely important is that you are aware of and realize that right for self-determination does not belong to administrators and politicians but to
peoples.
 |
| worldatlas.com |
Leading to the transition on10-10-10 and since then until now there were several individual,
group and other protests,
demonstrations, signatures actions, protest letters etc. directed to you with the aim to gain attention on this unfinished discussion and trying to get your collaboration to help resolve this impasse and to reconcile and reunite the people again. This is another serious attempt to do so
and hopefully the last as it seems that is seems not possible to force further the patience of our kindhearted and humble people.
On behalf of Foundation"Nos Ke Boneiru Bek" (CoC regnr: 8472) a platform for groups and organizations
and individuals of our society and with the statutory objective "to the letter and the spirit of Article 73 of the Charter of the United Nations to achieve self-government of the people of Bonaire “ we bring the following to your attention:
The Country of the Netherlands Antilles originally existed since
December 15th 1954 and was comprised of six islands (Curacao,Aruba, St.Maarten, Bonaire St.Eustatius and Saba), which each formed a separate administrative unit, called
“eilandgebied” (island territory). As such, each Island Territory had its own
local government. In addition, there was a central government for the
Netherlands Antilles, as well as a senate that was comprised of representatives
of all six (6) islands.
In 1986, Aruba became a separate Country within the Kingdom of
the Netherlands, while the other five islands remained
within the Netherlands Antilles.
In the early nineties, there were
discussions within the Netherlands Antilles regarding the
constitutional status of the Country as a body. There were
referendums held on all five (5) islands. All islands had the opportunity to
choose between:
A. Remaining part of
the Netherlands Antilles. However, the Netherlands Antilles would then be restructured;
B. Separate status
and as such becoming a country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands;
C. Direct ties with
the Netherlands;
D. Independence.
All islands of the
Netherlands Antilles, including Bonaire, opted to remain in the Netherlands
Antilles. As the intended restructuring of the Netherlands Antilles did not
take place, discussions among the islands once again took place regarding
remaining within the Netherlands Antilles as a country. St. Maarten was the
first to have its referendum in June of 2000, which sparked the other islands
to have their referendum in 2005.
During the
referendum in Bonaire the following options were provided, which yielded the
following results: voters turnout of
56.1%:
Option Votes %
A: Remain part of
the Netherlands Antilles 853 15.94%
B: Direct
constitutional ties with the Netherlands 3182 59.45%
C. Autonomous
country within the Kingdom 1290 24.10%
D: Independence 27 0.5%
Following the
referenda on the various islands, the first Round Table Conference between the
islands, the Netherlands Antillean government and the Netherlands took place on
November 26th 2005. It was agreed that Curacao and St. Maarten would become
countries within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, while the three other islands
would become directly part of the Netherlands as a "Public Entity".
Around 33 % only of
all the people of Bonaire that could have voted,
including 16 & 17 years old and foreigners without a Dutch nationality, had
chosen for a direct link with Holland. However, it was decided that Bonaire
instead of direct constitutional ties with the Netherlands would be integrated
as part of the Netherlands.
The Netherlands
Antilles ceased to exist on October 10th 2010. The islands, with the exception
of Bonaire & St Eustatius, obtained the status which they voted for during
the 2005 referendum. As mentioned, it was decided upon that together with Saba
and St. Eustatius, Bonaire (together referred to as the BES islands) would
become a part of the Netherlands. As such, each one of the BES island would be
a "public entity" of the Netherlands.
Unlike the situation
of the Netherlands Antilles whereby Bonaire would have a representative in the
parliament - and depending on the coalition, also a representative in
government - Bonaire does not have any representative whatsoever in the
Parliament or the Senate of the Netherlands. Nevertheless, said bodies - the
legislature - create and implement laws that are applicable on Bonaire.
It was agreed upon
by all partners within the Kingdom of the Netherlands that there would be an
evaluation of the current status after a period of 5 years. As such, the evaluation will take place in 2015.
In light of the aforementioned, the people of Bonaire are
adamantly of the opinion that they have not exercised their right to
self-determination. And as such have denied said right, as
they have not freely determined their political status or the chance to decide
how to pursue their own economic, social and cultural development. According to
the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 1541 (XV), any change of status should
“be the freely expressed wishes of the territory’s people acting with full
knowledge of the change of their status…”
According to Resolution 1541 of the United
Nations every change in the status shall be the result of “freely expressed wishes of the territories peoples
acting with full knowledge of the change of their status...”
By this we are requesting, in the name of all attached
signees - and all others who could not co-sign for one or other reasons and also
holds the same right to self-determination- for the local government of the Public Entity
of Bonaire to put all arrangements in place for the free exercise of the right
to self-determination, through a referendum, so that the people of Bonaire can
decide democratically their own future in accordance with International
Standards of Human Rights, the principles of International Law and the Charter
of the United Nations.
Integration with full political rights, independence, and
free association are the three legitimate alternatives which constitute the
internationally recognized options of political equality under the United
Nations General Assembly Resolution 1541 (XV). As such, the aforementioned
options should be among the choices for the people of Bonaire to vote upon
during a constitutional referendum.
We consider it the duty of our government to provide the
necessary information to its people prior to the constitutional referendum, so
that the population is aware of the ramifications of the status options contained
in Resolution 1541, and so that the population would be able to make an
informed choice between the various status options.
We invite you, that have Bonaire's interest at heart, in the name of all
the signees,to do everything
within your possibilities to honour this
request and organize as soon as possible a referendum for the People of
Bonaire.
Awaiting a positive
reaction from you, I remain,
Sincerely,
James Finies, president and coordinator Foundation “Nos Ke
Boneiru Bek”
Kaya Mamore 3
Bonaire
Attached: Copy list signatures petition
referendum Bonaire 2013
Copy list signatures petition referendum via
internet
Copy list individual reasons of signees via
internet
why a referendum
FUNDASHON NOS KE BONEIRU BÈK A ENTREGA
LISTA DI FIRMA NA GEZAGHÈBER
Kralendijk—Djaluna
último 14 òktober 2013, Fundashon Nos Ke Boneiru Bek a hasi entrega na gezaghèber
sra. Emerencia di firma nan kolekta den último lunanan pa sostené e petishon na
nos gobièrnu i gobernantenan pa organisá un referèndem konstitushonal pa e
pueblo Boneriano.
T’asina ku sr.
Finies a duna splikashon na gezaghèber di Boneiru dr. Lydia Emerencia ku segun
e organisashon e struktura ku Boneiru ta den aktualmente no ta loke ku pueblo
di Boneiru a skohe pe, p’esei nan a sali na fabor di pueblo di Boneiru pa haña
Boneiru bèk. Komo ku pueblo di Boneiru e keda mal informá pa polítikonan di
turno.
A
logra akumulá mas ku 3500 firmante ku ta di opinion ku mester bini un kambio
mas rápido posibel mirando e direkshon i kiko a resultá despues di 10-10-10,
kaminda e pueblo di Boneiru a hañ’é konfrontá ku a traspasá su teritorio, e isla
di Boneiru i tambe su poder i derecho demokrátiko di sigui desaroyá su propio
gobernashon i goberná su mes na Hulanda. Segun Finies, e traspaso i akto aki
10-10-10 ta ilegal pa motibu ku no tabatin outorisashon di e pueblo Boneriano,
ku ta e úniko ku por disidí esaki i no a hasi´é te asina leu.
Pa
nos di “Nos Ke Boneiru Bèk” e fecha di 10-10-13 tambe ta marka final na e trayektoria
di buska firma pa sostené un petishon popular pa un referèndem pa asina korigí i
kambia loke a bai robes i alabes kuminsá un etapa nobo. E “Revolushon
Boneriano”, un etapa kaminda ku nos lo ta bek riba e ruta di liberashon i pa rekobrá
nos teritorio i derecho di por goberná nos mes.
Ku
e sosten di parti di firmantenan ku ta apoyá e lucha sagrado aki i tambe esnan
ku no a òf no por a firma pa un òf otro motibu pero ku tambe ta mantené e mesun
derecho pa nos rekobrá nos Boneiru i nos propio gobernashon bèk. Segun e
fundashon di “ Nos ke nos Boneiru bèk”, nos ta di opinion ku nos tin e derecho
di eksigí f demanda nos derecho ku inhustamente òf ilegalmente, a keda kita o sekuestrá
for di nos pueblo Boneriano. Awor nos ta konvensí ku e mensahe kla aki lo yega
i komprendé dor di nos gobernantenan i ku lo rekonsiderá e posishon aktual i
rekonsiliá i uni e pueblo por lo mínimo ku sigur lo tene debido kuenta i respetá e pueblo su derechonan i deseonan.
Un
gradisimentu ta bai na tur persona ku a yuda ku e proseso aktivamente pa buska
sosten i tambe un pabien na firmantenan tur ku gran determinashon i kurashi a
mustra ku nos tin suidadanonan, Bonerianonan balente i tambe hendenan di tur
parti ku ta sostené i ta stima Boneiru i su pueblo.
Fundashon
“Nos Ke Boneiru Bek”
*******
