PARAMARIBO, Suriname, CMC -King Willem-Alexander Monday night called on Suriname to forgive the Netherlands for its history of slavery in the Dutch-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country.
“Your history bears the stigma of slavery in the name of the Dutch state. The Dutch government has apologised for this, and I personally have added the request for forgiveness for the lack of action against this crime against humanity by the stadtholders and kings of the House of Orange-Nassau,” said Willem-Alexander.
In 2023, King Willem-Alexander first made a public apology regarding his country’s involvement in the Atlantic slave trade, and he has not shied away from making public comments on the issue since then.
Numerous Surinamese and Dutch-Afro-Surinamese organizations have consistently demanded reparations from the Netherlands for its historical role in slavery. These groups argue that the official apologies offered by the Dutch government are insufficient without tangible financial and social compensation.
“My parents knew this country before I was born,” he told the state banquet held in his honour, recalling the stories he heard as a child.
“Since then, a lot of water has flowed through the Suriname River,” he said, adding that his personal request, as King, is for the forgiveness of the Dutch slavery past in Suriname.
“I would like to pay tribute here to Suriname’s resilience and resistance throughout the centuries. To the courageous Maroons who fiercely defended their self-won freedom from their hideouts in the forest. To a resistance hero like Boni, who, with his great ingenuity and moral authority, motivated people to fight for a decent existence.”
The King, who is accompanied by his wife, Queen Máxima, and a broadly composed Dutch business delegation, on the three-day state visit, put aside his prepared speech as he focused on improving the future relationship between the two countries.
“In a world where conflicts are intensifying and polarisation is undermining societies, Suriname is a beacon of humanity,” he said, adding that this harmony, despite the challenges, serves as an example for other countries.
“The Netherlands wants nothing more than to continue along this path. Makandra. Working together,” he said, highlighting the strength of Suriname’s youth, the priceless value of the rainforest, a country that absorbs more CO₂ than it emits, and the possibilities for responsible use of natural resources.
The head of state was also appreciative of Suriname’s rule of law, adding that a strong, independent judiciary deserves recognition. He said that the Dutch ambassador will lay a wreath at the monument to the victims of the December Murders during the commemoration ceremonies on December 8.
At the end of his speech, the King quoted the poet Dobru and asked those present to raise their glasses “to the Republic of Suriname, to the health of the president, and to the friendship between Suriname and the Netherlands”.
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