Dutch King Willem-Alexander’s apology last July for his country’s involvement in slavery and its enduring effects has not quelled demands for reparations.
The Dutch government has ruled out direct reparations, instead creating a 200 million euro fund to support social initiatives in the Netherlands, the Dutch Caribbean, and Suriname.
This fund aims to benefit descendants of enslaved people and other affected groups, addressing “the harmful effects of the past in the present.”
The issue of reparations for transatlantic slavery remains contentious but is gaining global traction. Critics argue that countries should not be held accountable for historical wrongs.
Mrs. Barryl Biekman, a prominent activist for reparations in the Netherlands, insists that apologies must be followed by substantive measures to tackle issues affecting Black people today. “They apologized but don’t want to look at the systems that keep us down,” Biekman said, citing persistent inequalities in employment, education, and health.
Chair of the National Institute for the Study of Dutch Slavery and its Legacy (NiNsee) Mrs. Linda Nooitmeer, described the Dutch apologies as sincere but bittersweet. “Sweet because the silence surrounding the history of slavery and the Netherlands has been completely broken… but (NiNsee) does feel the need for specific economic policies,” Nooitmeer said.
She added that slavery’s legacy continues to exploit people of African descent.
The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has proposed a reparations plan that includes debt cancellation and investments to address public health crises.
Opponents of reparations argue that it is too complex to identify those responsible for historical slavery and determine appropriate remedies. Some concerns discussing reparations could increase political polarization in countries like the Netherlands, where far-right sentiment is rising.
Biekman has called for the establishment of a truth commission to explore reparations further. The Kingdom of the Netherlands still includes several Caribbean islands, such as Aruba and Sint Maarten.
Dr. Rhoda Arrindell, an advocate for Sint Maarten’s independence, criticized the Dutch apologies as “incomplete” if the islands remain part of the kingdom and if economic underdevelopment caused by colonialism is not addressed.
She argued that the new Dutch fund should be seen as a “downpayment on a bigger reparation bill.” “How could you think that you commit the crime, acknowledge the crime (by apologizing), and then decide what the punishment will be?” Arrindell said. “We find that rather appalling.”
