Minister to apologize for racism at Foreign Affairs; Asks victims to come forward

Minister Wopke Hoekstra of Foreign Affairs will apologize for the widespread racism in his department. He also called on victims to come forward so that action could be taken against the perpetrators.

On Monday, research showed that Ministry employees receive racist remarks or are overlooked and ignored because of their skin color or origin. They sometimes feel passed over for a promotion, for example. Colleagues rarely intervene in racist incidents.

Hoekstra said he is shocked by the “very painful and very confrontational” report. He and Liesje Schreinemacher, his fellow Minster at the department, will “talk later this week” with several “employees with a bi-cultural background,” Hoekstra said. The Minister will “repeat that we are, of course, very sorry.” The Ministry’s senior management issued an apology earlier in the day.

The Tweede Kamer, the lower house of the Dutch parliament, wants the perpetrators punished. But according to Hoekstra, that is not yet possible. The officials who spoke to the researchers gave their stories anonymously. He will “definitely” ask them to file a complaint, and “then we will certainly not hesitate to act on it.” Hoekstra “would like” people to come forward. “Because I think that helps.”

Hoekstra is “of course, extremely shocked” by the findings. “I did not expect this in any way.” He said he has never received any signals of such abuses.

He acknowledged that they also harm the credibility of the Netherlands and its diplomats abroad. “It is very simple: if you set the bar high, you have to achieve it yourself.” According to him, it is “completely clear that we have absolutely not done that in this area.”

The shocking report also comes at a time when the Cabinet is struggling with its intended apologies for the Netherlands’ history of slavery. That this coincides is “certainly” painful and inconvenient, Hoekstra admitted. But “unfortunate as the timing may be,” publishing the findings immediately offers “the best chance to do something about it together.”

Tweede Kamer repsonse

Many parties in the Tweede Kamer found that apologies don’t go far enough. “Racism is unacceptable, especially at the Ministry that has to stand up for human rights worldwide. After apologies, disciplinary measures must follow,” D66 parliamentarian Sjoerd Sjoerdsma said.

The PvdA wants a government-wide investigation into racism in the government, said Kati Piri on behalf of the party. “The employees’ examples are numerous and harrowing, but above all, it makes clear how much the culture and structures within all layers of the Ministry cause discrimination and racism. It is good that this investigation has now been completed, but I have serious doubts whether the Ministry itself is able to take the necessary steps to change this.”

“Apologies are not enough,” tweeted Farid Azarkan of DENK. He wants criminal offenses reported “so that discriminatory employees can be prosecuted after an independent investigation. Managers who do not act against racism must be removed.”

VVD MP Ruben Brekelmans expects both Ministers to combat racism “fiercely.” Agnes Mulder (CDA) also believes “there is a great responsibility at the top to tackle this and change the culture.”

Tom van der Lee (GroenLinks) said that “much more” than apologies are needed. Marieke Koekkoek of Volt thinks it’s great that the Ministry is adopting the study’s recommendations but called it “insane that this is happening at all, especially at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.” According to SP parliamentarian Jasper van Dijk, the Ministry “still behaves like the Ministry of the colonies.”