King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands expressed remorse for his nation’s involvement in the colonial slave trade, recognizing the enduring impact of Dutch imperialism throughout society.
“On Slavery Remembrance Day, I personally offer this apology as your King and as a member of the government. The weight of these words is felt deeply in my heart and soul,” stated the monarch. Slavery Remembrance Day is observed in the Netherlands on July 1 to commemorate the abolition of slavery in Suriname and the former Dutch Caribbean.
The Dutch colonial empire spanned from Suriname in South America to South Africa and Indonesia in Southeast Asia. Acknowledging a history of more than 300 years, the Dutch government admitted that hundreds of thousands of Africans were forcibly transported as enslaved laborers by Dutch slave traders. Tragically, around 75,000 individuals perished during these voyages, and indigenous populations in the colonies equally suffered from enslavement.
Officially, slavery was abolished in Suriname and the Caribbean islands in 1863, but it took another decade for it to be fully eradicated.
Dutch prime minister apologizes for centuries of slave trade
King Willem-Alexander, 56, also acknowledged the inaction of his ancestors in the House of Orange-Nassau towards preventing these “crimes against humanity.”
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