Dutch Government To Apologise For Role In Colonial-Era Slavery

The Dutch government will apologise later this year for its role in slavery during the nation’s colonial past.

This is according to a member of Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s Cabinet, Minister for Legal Protection Franc Weerwind, who  confirmed a report by broadcaster RTL that the government planned to make a formal apology in December.

The government also plans to spend 200 million euros on a fund promoting awareness about the colonial power’s role in slavery and 27 million euros to open a slavery museum, RTL reported.

The decision comes after an advisory panel recommended last year that the government acknowledge that the 17th-19th century transatlantic slave trade amounted to crimes against humanity, and that the Dutch government apologise.

Weerwind was quoted by news agency ANP as telling journalists in The Hague on Friday, It is a “big moment and a beautiful moment,”

He said, “By apologising, the government will “open the page to a shared future. You do that together and you do that by making this statement.”