As the Netherlands on July 1 marked 161 years since the abolition of slavery with annual Ketikoti celebrations, activists have questioned the sincerity of apologies by Dutch authorities since the issue of reparations has not been addressed.
"Ketikoti" is a Surinamese expression that means the "the chain is broken," and it is the title given to July 1 as a day of remembrance of slavery and celebration of freedom.
But in an incident highlighting the issue's divisiveness, Speaker of the House Martin Bosma was uninvited from Monday's celebrations for refusing to apologize for past dismissive remarks on slavery.
The government has ruled out reparations, instead setting up a 200 million euro fund to promote social initiatives in the Netherlands, the Dutch Caribbean and Suriname.
It said in a statement on Friday that the fund would benefit descendants of enslaved people and other groups, with the goal of countering "the harmful effects of the past in the present.".
The idea of reparations for the transatlantic slavery is long-standing but has recently been gaining momentum worldwide. Opponents say countries shouldn't be held responsible for historical wrongs, while proponents say the legacy of slavery has resulted in persistent and vast racial inequalities today.
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