Dutch king welcomes government's slavery apology, says 'start of a long journey'

The apology, issued by the Dutch government for the Netherlands' contribution to 250 years of slavery, was welcomed by Dutch King Willem-Alexander in his Christmas address on Sunday, calling it the "start of a long journey".

An official apology was given by Prime Minister Mark Rutte for the involvement of the Dutchin slavery practised in its former colonies, as he called it a "crime against humanity".

"Nobody today bears responsibility for the inhumane acts that were inflicted on the lives of men, women and children," said Willem-Alexander, while speaking at the palace of Huis ten Bosch in The Hague.

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"But by honestly facing our shared past and recognising the crime against humanity that is slavery, we lay the ground for a shared future - a future in which we stand against all modern forms of discrimination, exploitation and injustice. The apology offered by the government is the start of a long journey,” he added.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, the “Golden Age” of the Netherlands empire was funded by bringing 600,000 Africans under the slave trade, most of them belonging to South America and the Caribbean.

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The Dutch government has stated that it will be holding various commemorative events next year and a fund worth €200 million ($212 million) has been announced for social initiatives.

King Willem-Alexander said that the issue will remain in the attention of the royal family in the commemorative year and they will also be “involved” in the events.

However, the apology issued by PM Rutte was not satisfactory for some organisations that demanded that the apology be issued on July 1, 2023.

(With inputs from agencies)