Nearly half of Dutch people oppose official apology for slavery

By Selman Aksunger

AMSTERDAM (AA) - Nearly half of Dutch people oppose the country's scheduled official apology for its role in slavery, according to a survey.

The survey, conducted by the public broadcaster NOS, showed that the figure dropped to 49% in 2022, compared to last year's 55%.

Although the rate of those who wanted an apology increased from 31% to 38% this year, nearly half of Dutch people do not support the government's apology.

According to the survey, most of those who support an apology are from immigrant backgrounds, with two-thirds of Surinamese supporting the gesture.

"This is a one-sided Dutch policy that risks failing," Armand Zunder, chairman of the Suriname National Recovery Commission (NRCS), told reporters.

The Netherlands will issue a worldwide official apology on Dec. 19. The apology will be issued by the government in eight locations worldwide with the attendance of seven ministers.

In recent years, major cities such as Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht and The Hague, as well as institutions such as the Dutch Central Bank and ABN Amro, have also announced that they have apologized for their role in the history of slavery.