Subject: poverty summit Bonaire and right to freedom of expression and right to equality and non-discrimination
Dear Sirs,
Based on our right to freedom of expression, the right to equality and non-discrimination and the recent attempt of intimidation of freedom of free press, we feel obliged to bring the following to your attention:
Monday, January 9th the Government of Bonaire together with the Government of Holland represented by commission Kingdom Relations delegation held a summit on poverty at the Courtyard Marriott on Bonaire. Our movement Nos Kier Bonaire Bek organized a protest action with the objective to draw the attention to the fact that the current local government and the Dutch government represented in this case by the commission Kingdom Relations both have not respected the results of the democratic decision of the Bonerian peoples 2015 referendum, where 65% of the voters, rejected the current constitutional structure with a No-vote and the Dutch parliament have made the first reading to annex and embed the island territory permanently in the Dutch constitution, against international law doctrine and against the democratic decision of the Bonerian peoples.
We have informed the governor and announced publicly that said passive protest will be held outside the Marriott premises, on the public road section and time to start gathering will be 3oclock, awaiting the finishing of the summit press conference which was to take place at 3:30 to 3:45 and so we can show our discontent with protest-boards based on above according to our democratic rights.
However, when we just arrived and positioned ourselves outside, over the road as we informed and announced, we start noticing that some island council members, we saw Mr. Beukenboom, Mr. Kroon, and others start leaving to their car in the car-park. We asked one of our colleagues to go check with them and ask them if there is a change of program as they are leaving. When reaching the car-entrance the security guards took a hostile position and refused entrance to our colleague, which had no protest-boards, nor any object or anything with her.
This was a critical moment because our objective was to protest against the Dutch government violation of our democratic, self-determination and human rights and discriminatory process to embed us on in equal base in their constitution, we on our own island is being deprived free movement to a not marked as no entrance or prohibited entrance or any signs that a Bonaire citizen cannot trespass and violently by security guards. We feel that Mariott Courtyard International brand should be a public place for any citizen to enter without discrimination and if someone is not conducting themselves according to the rules of the hotel of present themselves a risk, then have the right to ask the person to leave. In this case we have not done anything out of conduct only to ask them to go into the car-park and could not see any reason why the guard stopped us, as mentioned above, and physically pushed our female colleague out of the premises. We feel the guard should not physically assault a harmless person.
Based on the fact that our foundation always has promoted and done non-violent manifestations, and this incident of physical discriminatory aggravation of a citizen, based on free expression of it's political view and within it's democratic rights and human right of freedom of expression and right to equality and non-discrimination, we feel that the management of Marriott should apologize to our foundation. We feel also that our government, as our governor was present and has taken notice of part of this situation and in the light of the recent attempt on freedom of free press, should condemn this discriminatory act based on the same grounds as mentioned above and by not doing so is concession to violation of mentioned rights.
Sincerely yours,
James Finies, Nos Ke Boneiru Bek