Dutch King Issues First Official Apology for Slavery... "Crime Against Humanity"

7 Months After Last Year's First Government-Level Apology by the Prime Minister
Foreign Media Evaluate It as an Important Progress in Resolving Historical Issues

King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands officially apologized for the slavery that was perpetrated from the 17th to the 19th centuries. This is the first time a Dutch monarch has officially apologized for slavery, coming seven months after the Prime Minister issued the first government-level apology at the end of last year.

On the 1st (local time), King Willem-Alexander stated in a live broadcasted speech at the 150th anniversary ceremony of the abolition of slavery, “The slave trade and slavery were crimes against humanity.”

He continued, “The monarchs and rulers of the House of Orange did not take measures against it,” and apologized, saying, “Today, I ask for forgiveness for the clear lack of action at that time.” The House of Orange refers to the current Dutch royal family.

The speech was broadcast live locally with the attendance of many high-ranking government officials, including Prime Minister Mark Rutte.

This apology comes as a result of the Netherlands exploiting 600,000 people from Africa and Asia as slaves in colonies such as Suriname and Cura?ao during its 250-year economic and cultural ‘Golden Age.’ Historians estimate that in the 1770s, slavery accounted for more than 10% of the Netherlands’ gross domestic product (GDP).

King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands delivering a speech at the 150th anniversary ceremony of the abolition of slavery [Image source=Yonhap News]

The Netherlands first apologized for slavery at the government level in 2022. At that time, Prime Minister Rutte officially apologized on behalf of the government for the 250 years of slavery from the 17th to the 19th centuries. Prior to that, mayors of Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht, The Hague, and the governor of the Dutch central bank had issued individual apologies.

In an official speech at the National Archives in The Hague on December 19, 2022, Rutte said, “Under the Dutch government, human dignity was violated in the most horrific ways for centuries.”

Rutte acknowledged, “Men, women, and even children were forcibly transported to Suriname in South America, which was under Dutch rule at the time,” calling it a “shameful history.” He added, “Slavery must be condemned as a crime against humanity.”

He further stated, “We failed to recognize that our past slavery continues to have negative effects,” and “On behalf of the Dutch government, I apologize to those who were enslaved and their descendants.”

Prime Minister Rutte’s apology was seen as a meaningful step toward addressing historical issues. However, groups advocating for historical resolution argued that the apology should come from the monarch, not the prime minister, and that it should be made in Suriname, a former colony, on July 1, 2023, the 150th anniversary of the abolition of slavery.

Although slavery was officially abolished in the Netherlands on July 1, 1863, it took an additional ten years for it to be completely ended in Suriname due to a mandatory transition period.

Foreign media reported that “organizations related to slavery victims regarded the king’s official apology on this day as an important advancement in resolving historical issues.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.