The Dutch Government Killed NiNsee

The Dutch government has killed NiNsee, the Nationaal instituut Nederlands slavernijverleden en erfenis, which in English translates to the National institute for Dutch Slavery History and Heritage. NiNsee organized activities in order to commemorate slavery and celebrate the abolishment of slavery, also known as Keti Koti, on July 1st. The Dutch government formally abolished slavery in the Dutch colonies - Surinam and the Dutch Antilles - on 1 July 1863 (after 200 years). Of course, slavery did not end with the formal abolishment.

The Department of Education (Ministerie van Onderwijs, Cultuur en Wetenschap) had already informed NiNsee on its decision to stop the government grants in August 2011. The government funding represented 90% of NiNsee budget (circa 2,2 million Euro per year). Without the government grants, NiNsee is forced to close its doors, and will do so on 1 August 2012.

The lower administrative court of the city of Amsterdam, where NiNsee is located, ruled that the Department of Education had been entitled to notify and end the subsidies to NiNsee after 2012. The lower court ruled that because of cut-backs in government spending, the Department of Education had the right to change its subsidy policy. The court was not interested in the responsibility of the Dutch government towards the descendants of the victims of Dutch slavery, to fund NiNsee. Nor the educational value of an institute like NiNsee for all Dutch alike.

It has always been interesting to notice that when it comes to cutbacks in government spending, the descendants of the former Dutch slave colonies are the first that the government thinks of. The ease in which the government has been consistently ending grants to Surinamese and Antillean organizations since the 1990's is astounding. Especially compared to the number of Moroccan organizations that still get subsidies, the educational and cultural void for the Surinamese and Antillean communities is large. What group will the government turn to next, now that there are no Surinamese or Antillean organizations left to punish?

The 150 year abolishment celebration next year (2013) has not caused the Dutch government to pause on its decision.  The institute designated to organize the event has been rendered powerless. Whatever remains of NiNsee, it will now have to do as the Dutch government dictates and keep a low profile (or better yet just die). NiNsee has become a slave (begging for humane treatment) to the Dutch slave master (the Dutch government). It is typical slave-master tactics to promise a slave freedom, but to then cut off his legs. Or kill him.

Links:
- http://www.ninsee.nl/news/NiNsee-will-close-per-August-2012
Websites in Dutch:
- NiNsee: www.ninsee.nl/ (in Dutch, also some English pages)
- summary ruling lower administrative court - LJN BW9839: www.rechtspraak.nl/Organisatie/Rechtbanken/Amsterdam/Nieuws/Pages/Rechtbank-regering-mag-subsidie-slavernij-instituut-stopzetten.aspx (in Dutch)
- ruling lower administrative court - LJN BW9839: zoeken.rechtspraak.nl/detailpage.aspx?ljn=BW9839&u_ljn=BW9839 (in Dutch)
- letter KNAW: www.ninsee.nl/download.php?id=357 (in Dutch)