Kaag will travel to Suriname for talks about slavery history

Minister of Finance and First Deputy Prime Minister Sigrid Kaag will travel to Suriname next week. She will meet with the government and civil society organizations there to discuss the past of slavery. This will take place before Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte gives a speech on the subject on December 19, reported a spokesperson for the ministry.

Next week, Kaag will also lead a second discussion session with interest groups in the Catshuis about the way in which the Cabinet will reflect on the slavery past on December 19. Rutte himself was at the first meeting, but has obligations in Brussels next week, which he will first discuss with Tweede Kamer on Tuesday.

Earlier it was leaked that Rutte wants to apologize for the slavery past on December 19. This led to heated discussions about what the government's public prostration should all comply with. A group of advocacy organizations was invited to the Catshuis last Thursday to discuss matters.

In addition to Rutte's speech, various ministers would travel to former colonies to apologize there as well. Minister Franc Weerwind (Legal Protection), who himself has a Surinamese background, would do that in Suriname. But that was rejected in that country; a white person should come and say sorry.

In addition to Rutte's speech, several members of the government would travel to former colonies to make apologies there as well. Minister Franc Weerwind (Legal Protection), who himself has a Surinamese background, was to do so in Suriname. But this was rejected by the country and demanded that a white person should come and apologize.

This weekend it became clear that the organizations that were present in the Catshuis put a series of different demands on the table. They then listed them again in a letter that the Dutch news program Nieuwsuur quoted from on Saturday. At the time, the Cabinet already announced that it would not meet all those demands.