The King of the Netherlands, King Willem-Alexander has formally apologised for his country’s role in the slave trade, saying he felt “personally and intensely” affected.
The country became a major colonial power after the 17th Century, holding territories across the globe, and Dutch slave traders trafficked more than 600,000 people.
King Willem-Alexander was speaking on Saturday an event marking the 160th anniversary of the abolition of slavery in the country, describing the practice as a “horror.
During his speech in Amsterdam, King Willem-Alexander conceded that the “monarchs and rulers of the House of Orange took no steps against slavery”.
Accompanied by his wife Queen Maxima, the King acknowledged that he could not speak for the entire nation, but he told the crowd that “the vast majority” of Dutch citizens “do support the fight for equality for all people, regardless of colour or cultural background”.
He added that after acknowledgment and apology, they can work together on healing, reconciliation and restoration,.
In June, a new study revealed that Dutch rulers received the equivalent of €545m in today’s money between 1675 and 1770 from colonies where slavery was enforced.
Thousands of people were trafficked from Africa to Dutch colonies in the Caribbean and South America – amounting to around 5% of the entire transatlantic slave
Last year, Prime Minister Mark Rutte also apologised for the country’s historical role in the slave trade, saying in a speech at the Hague that it must be recognised in “the clearest terms” as “a crime against humanity”.
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