Speak up! - Anti-Dutch Attacks on Curaçao

[Charlton Monsanto]

The recent attacks (last week) where a native Yiu di Korsow was left with a head injury that required hospitalization are showing the hidden anti-dutch sentiments on our island. The acts themselves are deplorable and will hopefully be handled and stopped by local authorities. Regardless, this is clearly showing us that our island is in for a rough time ahead with respect to increased Dutch fiscal control and racial differences. I never imagined this type of act happening on our island - obviously I was naive about that... Did anyone else think this would happen? And, are you confident that the local authorities have the power and ability to stop this? I for one am worried.... You?

[Charlton Monsanto]

Here is a preview to the official government response (in Papiamentu and Dutch):

Na Papiamentu
Minister presidente di Antia Hulandes
Komunikado di prensa
Gobièrno di Antia Hulandes ku desgustu i repudio a tuma nota di e agreshon rasista di un grupito de hende den anochi di djaweps pa djabièrnè siman pasá. Gobièrno ta kondená e aktuashon aki enfátikamente i lo hasi uso di tur loke ta na su alkanse pa pèrsiguí esnan kulpabel i evitá ripitishon.

Gobièrno no solamente ta kondená e agreshon komo tal, pero tambe e manera ku durante siman i lunanan ku a pasa sierto persona i gruponan polítiko, malhusando derecho di ekspreshon liber, ta kere di por alkansá loke nan no por alkansá demokrátikamente ku deklarashonnan populista i kampañanan repudiabel di odio.

Ta inkompresibel ku algun di esnan ku te ku poko dia pasá tabata fomentá agreshon, awor ta tribi laba man, bisando ku nan lo a avisá pa tal agreshon.

Ku parti di e agrupashonnan polítiko ku pa largu tempu ta instigando pueblo ni sikiera no a distansiá nan mes di e agreshon aki, ta prueba nan aktuashon kompletamente iresponsabel. Pa e motibu ei gobièrno lo no laga di tuma medidanan adekuá i denter di kuadronan di lei kontra e personanan en kestion.

Finalisando gobièrno ta deklará ku e lo hasi tur lo posibel pa protehé tur suidadano kontra kualke forma di agreshon rasial. Gobièrno ta orguyoso ku den nos komunidat semper hende di diferente orígen, rasa i religion, a biba na pas ku otro. E konvivensia pasífiko aki gobièrno lo keda defende ku tur su forsa.

E. de Jongh-Elhage
Minister-presidente di Antia Hulandes
Kòrsou, 30 di yüni 2008

In Dutch:
De Regering van de Nederlandse Antillen heeft met hevige afschuw en verontwaardiging kennis genomen van het racistisch geweld door een handvol personen gepleegd in de nacht van donderdag op vrijdag vorige week. De regering veroordeelt dit optreden met de meeste klem en zal alle middelen aanwenden om de verantwoordelijken te vervolgen en herhaling te voorkomen.

De regering keurt niet alleen het geweld als zodanig af, maar ook de in de afgelopen weken en maanden daaraan voorafgaande opruiing door een aantal personen en politieke groeperingen, die wat zij niet langs democratische weg kunnen bereiken en misbruik makend van de vrijheid van meningsuiting trachten te verwezenlijken met populistische retoriek en abjecte haatcampagnes.

Het is onvoorstelbaar dat een deel van degenen die tot voor kort nog opriepen tot geweld nu hun handen in onschuld proberen te wassen door te stellen dat zij voor dit geweld zouden hebben gewaarschuwd. Dat een ander deel van de opruiers zich in het geheel niet distantieerde van het geweld, is een bewijs van het volstrekt onverantwoordelijk handelen van deze politieke groeperingen. De regering zal dan ook niet schromen – binnen de kaders van de wet – geëigende maatregelen te nemen tegen betrokkenen.

Ten slotte verklaart de regering dat zij alles in het werk zal stellen om de burger te beschermen tegen elke vorm van racistisch geweld. De regering is er trots op dat in onze samenleving mensen van zeer uiteenlopende herkomst, ras en religie altijd in vrede hebben kunnen samenleven. Dit vreedzame samenleven zal de regering met kracht blijven verdedigen.

E. de Jongh-Elhage
Minister-president van de Nederlandse Antillen

[Valerie Peloz]

It is a shame that does things are happen on a small and friendly Island like our “Dushi Korsow” How many of us are not married with foreigners? How many have mix parents?
Dutch or not Dutch we have to respect each other and our self. Why mixing our frustration with skin colors? We really need to find a way to stop this.

Charlton you are not naïve. It is simple: we are not raise up with racial act. We don’t know Curacao like that. Believe me when you are frustrated you try to mess things up (That's exactly what they are doing) and we have to find a way to stop it.
In Hong Kong we have Anti-Racism Law. What about a law like that for Curacao.

[Charlton Monsanto]

Unfortunately they are messing things up for the future of our island, right when we have a chance to improve things economically. These types of acts will be remembered for a long time, and they will change people's opinions of our island. It is a shame. I don't know about the Anti-Racism Law in Hong Kong but the fact that we have to even think about one for Korsow is a crazy and disturbing thought.

[Ghatim Kabbara]

Hello All,

With the economic boom taking place on the island, we run the risk of attracting not only wanted guests but also unwanted ones. I believe that as Yu di Korsow we have a unique opportunity to participate in the development of our island and secure the future for the following generations while we protect our cultural identity.

The following is a list of things that I believe we should all be aware of:

1. The lack of adequate laws to regulate the influx of immigration, racism that can be imported and development of our economy without destroying the environment.
2. We are allowing foreign investors to implement business models that attract cheap & massive tourism. We can learn from Aruba’s experience and make sure we do not make the same mistakes.
3. We need more projects with a clear focus on sustainable development.
4. We need to consider really well the implications of some of the projects considered for development on the island, including making the island a “Red Light District”.
5. Local real estate promoters are developing low quality properties to sell to European investors while taking advantage of the exchange rate. By doing this, we are losing ownership of island property at a very cheap price and leaving little for future generations. We run the risk that Curaçao will be owned in a not so distant future to foreign corporations and individuals.

Racism is just one of the negative effects of allowing the island to fall in the wrong hands. Other inevitable effects include crime, prostitution, drugs and deep cultural division among the different groups who for so long have lived in harmony in Curaçao.

For those who may agree or disagree with my observations, please let me know your thoughts. My intention is to make sure we start discussing these issues before it becomes too late.

Thank you.