James Finies and Davika Bissessar of Bonaire Human Rights and Nos Kier Boneiru Bek, in their first international participation as associate members of the CARICOM Reparations Commission on Wednesday, May 31, 2023, created history by addressing the United Nations Permanent Forum for People of African Descent in New York on behalf of the people of Bonaire. Mr. Finies’ intervention at the United Nations was recorded and aired worldwide by the United Nations Web TV
(https://media.un.org/en/asset/k19/k19ymwnvtv).
“Nos ta papia Papiamento – We speak Papiamento – Our language that is together with Haiti-Creole the only two official Native Languages in the Caribbean that survived colonization – Today I will speak in “broken English”.
Our theme of today: Migration – Then forced migration – Today settlers’ migration or settlers’ colonialism by European Dutch colonization – As member of Permanent Forum of the people of African Descent Dr. June Soomer highlighted earlier – they are migrating with the right to vote in 90 days on our island.
My indigenous Indian civilization and roots were destroyed – My African civilization roots were destroyed – I am now a Caribbean Civilization, an Bonerian – our existence is now again under threat.
Colonialism, from the past? former? post-colonial? No, not the past, it is my present, my reality – I live in a Dutch colony Bonaire, 31 May 2023, in the 21st century.
Our island was kept colonized because, in my view, we were denied our history.
BHRO recommends: that “we”, this Permanent Forum on People of African Descent and CARICOM Reparations and others to create, produce urgently a “basic our-history document” for educational purposes that all Caribbean and further will incorporate in curriculum of all levels of education, from kindergarten to university level. … Give our kids this power – this will ensure that all our dreams, including reparations, will be realized.
I will finish by calling on this forum and all sisters and brothers here for support and solidarity on behalf of our people of Bonaire, as we are in a systemic displacement, depopulation and eradication. In a decade since 2010 we were reduced in 2017 to under 40% of the total population, by 2030 we will be less then 1/3 and will disappear soon, witnessed by all here today.
I also make a call on behalf of our sister islands’ civil society and human rights of Curaçao, Aruba, St. Maarten, Saba, St. Eustatius.
The “Dutch Apology” admitting their crimes changes our case from “internal, hidden from the world” issue to a continuous “international crime against humanity.”
Please help us – Save the Bonerians – Stop Colonialism in the Caribbean.
I am ending: about migration.
We all came in the same boats – We are here today, descendants of forced migration, we are still in the same boat. Then it was a voyage of no return, today in this boat, we have a common destiny, together, we all.
Thank you.
