To the Lieutenant-Governor of the Island Territory of Bonaire, Mr G.Thode
Plaza Wilhelmina
Kralendijk, Bonaire
Date: October 7, 2010
Re: New political structure of Bonaire as of October 10, 2010.
Dear Sir,
Introduction: My name is Serrio James Finies, and I was born in Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles, on July 13, 1964. My parents, Ellba E. Christiaan and Serrio I Finies, were also born in Bonaire. My grandparents and great-grandparents were all born in Bonaire. My parents, grandparents, and I have lived all our lives in Bonaire. As a result, I may call myself an indigenous Bonairian (more than five/six generations, and even more) and am entitled to speak out about the present situation on a personal basis and title.
We have all learned from the media that Bonaire and two other Antillean islands, Saba and St. Eustatius, will become a special municipality or public entity of the Netherlands, and that the Netherlands Antilles as a country will come to an end. This new state structure resulted from a 2004 referendum in which a majority of Bonaire chose the option “laso directo,” meaning direct ties with the Netherlands.
The explanation and information communicated to the population and me at the time were that Bonaire would gain greater access to financial support and development funds, which would then be distributed through Curaçao (read: the State of the Netherlands Antilles). Bonaire would then be less dependent on Curaçao for development funds and would be able to create more economic possibilities for itself, etc.
Hereby, the Netherlands will help Bonaire and assist with the central functions that in the past were coordinated through Curaçao (read: State Netherlands Antilles). Bonaire will then have the possibility to stand on its own two feet in the future and develop itself better. Nowhere, and never, was it communicated to me, or to any other Bonairians, that Bonaire would be integrated into the Netherlands, that Bonaire would become a special municipality (public entity) of the Netherlands, and most certainly not before, during, or after the referendum.
That was no option at the referendum, and no information indicated that we had to cede Bonaire to the Netherlands. Even worse, it suggested we would become more independent from the other partners with the Netherlands' support. To my utter astonishment, the Netherlands took Bonaire away from the Bonairians (like me) in a rather underhanded manner. This is completely against the spirit and resolutions of the United Nations, and as a former colonizer, the Netherlands should have supported us, Bonairians, in any way on our path to full autonomy.
In my view, this decision to change status was made without my knowledge or approval as a citizen. In my view, this action directly violates my and other Bonairians’ emancipation rights. I will describe, in simple terms, how I have personally experienced our emancipation and development thus far. My grandparents and my parents had their problems, economically and financially. They had to live very creatively, relying on agriculture, husbandry, and fishing on the island of Bonaire. They succeeded. There were few economic and financial possibilities.
I grew up with very few comforts (no house of our own, no electricity, no toilet/bathroom, etc.) and had to figure out day by day what we would eat, or whether we would have anything to eat. Through these experiences, I learned to respect others and appreciate the little things, and to appreciate the value of having nothing. Our value was in the education which our parents gave us and was not economically /financially connected.
Now I understand that value more and more, because no economic or financial motive can replace my principles and standards. I mean that we have learned to live with what we have and grow within our own possibilities by working hard. As a result, I have learned what freedom is and enjoyed it. I do not discriminate, not in any respect, no color, race, religion, etc., because everybody is a human being, like me, and has the same right to be himself.
As a result, I respect others and myself, and I fight for others (help them) by working hard and growing in proportion to my own talents. This is my value, and it is my freedom, and I will not let anyone take it away from me. My children have what I did not have, and that is our goal as parents and human beings. I will not and cannot accept that we are now incapable, that, ironically, with all we have, we must passively give up, and that our right to develop and emancipate has been taken from us.
I do not live in the past, and therefore I do not hate the Netherlands and the Dutch. I have forgiven them and have forgotten that my great-great-grandparents were their slaves; I have forgiven them and have forgotten that my grandparents had to manage for themselves, although, as a former colony they needed more care and support because their own development had been halted for decades; I have forgiven them that my parents had to raise us in very difficult social conditions, and although men have already walked on the moon, consequently the world was well developed, while they had to bring us up in misery.
I support this forgiving and forgetting, not looking back, and blaming nobody. I am serious about this and have lived like this all my life; I have no enemies and hate nobody. I am capable of this, so I think other people can do it too, as human beings, and we can work together for a better world where we respect each other and can mean something to each other.
But I will never be able to forgive myself, and I will never be able to forget that I am here now and will accept that I shall undermine, hamper, and stop the natural development toward independence and emancipation of my grandparents, my parents, myself, and my children. I have been able to understand it: freedom, no discrimination, and respect for each other, and I will not let go of it, for it is good for all of us.
I do not put the blame on our politicians of Bonaire, the Antilles, or the Netherlands, or anybody else, but I will not have the rights of myself and my children passively taken away from us. My children have a right to a better education, to better health care, and to better social well-being. Correcting the arrears in these fields may not be a favor or gift for which we have to cede our and our children’s right to develop toward self-emancipation, self-governance, and ultimately turn back this natural emancipation process.
As my parents went through hard times to raise my brothers and me and to give us what they were capable of, so we now will do everything for our children to give them the chance to realize the dreams we had and had not been able to realize, and to give them the opportunity to dream and to realize these, to give them more perspective for their future.
Bonaire is going to be integrated into the Netherlands; Bonairians are no longer Antillians on their way to complete decolonization, self-emancipation, and autonomy, but will become a different kind of Dutchman with different (fewer) rights than real European Dutchmen. As is shown now, this process of state structure is irreversible, which I doubt very much, because everything is possible if only there is the goodwill to find solutions together and make both parties happy.
But above all this are my rights and the rights of my children and other Bonairians in conformity with the Chapter of the United Nations, Chapter XI: “Declaration Regarding Non-self-governing Territories” and furthermore in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.,
Finally, I declare officially by means of this letter that I do not accept the violation of my rights and the rights of my children and that I am not bound to this – in my opinion illegal status – and I will do everything in my power to see to it in a passive way that our right to self-government and self-determination of Bonaire ( my country) as a former colony will be guaranteed.
I write this letter out of respect for my parents, grandparents, etc., who have for generations fought for me, creatively and respectfully, and I shall now do the same for my children and their children.
With kind regards,
James Finies
#3 Kaya Mamore
Bonaire
cc. Governor of the Netherlands Antilles
The cabinet of the Queen of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
International Court of Justice
States of the Netherlands Antilles
Island Council of the Island Territory of Bonaire
