King Willem-Alexander apologized this afternoon for the Netherlands’ role in the past of slavery at the national commemoration of the past of slavery in Amsterdam’s Oosterpark. “Today I am here in front of you. As your king and as part of the government, I am making up these excuses myself today,” he said. ‘I live them intensely with my heart and soul.’
In his message, the king asked for “forgiveness”. The slave trade and slavery are recognized as a crime against humanity. The stadtholders and kings of the House of Orange-Nassau did nothing against this. They acted within what was then considered legally permissible. But the slavery system illustrated the injustice of those laws,” said the king. “At some point you feel a moral obligation to act.”
International attention
There is also much international media attention for King Willem-Alexander’s apology for slavery. The American newspaper The New York Times, the Reuters news service and the British newspaper The Daily Mail, among others, have written articles about the Dutch king’s speech during the national commemoration of the history of slavery.
The matter received attention on the French news channel France 24, the American news channel ABC News and the Chinese public broadcaster’s CGTN channel. Curaçao Prime Minister Gilmar ‘Pik’ Pisas called the Netherlands’ apology during the commemoration of the abolition of slavery in Curaçao as “a historic moment” and “an acknowledgment of past suffering and suffering”.
Pisas also praised the king’s cry for forgiveness. “We really appreciate it.” According to him, the Netherlands has shown “courage and responsibility” to “deal with painful issues from the past” and called the apology a major change in the relationship between Curaçao and the Netherlands.
Source: BNR
Sharon Rock is an author and journalist who writes for 24 News Globe. She has a passion for learning about different cultures and understanding the complexities of the world. With a talent for explaining complex global issues in an accessible and engaging way, Sharon has become a respected voice in the field of world news journalism.
