Dutch Caribbean Human Rights Organisation Takes Stand at UN Geneva Conference, Spotlighting Colonialism and Indigenous Rights

James Finies and Davika Bissessar from Caribbean Netherlands, Bonaire Human Rights Organisation (BHRO), recently participated in an international conference at the United Nations (UN) in Geneva, organised by the Baku Initiative Group. The event brought together parliamentarians, experts, and policymakers to discuss the lasting impact of French and Dutch colonialism, with a focus on justice, self-determination, and human rights, in line with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).

A key issue raised was Holland’s violation of the ICCPR, particularly Articles 1 and 2. Article 1 affirms the right of all peoples to self-determination, including control over their resources and political status. Article 2 mandates that everyone whose rights are violated must have access to an effective remedy, even against own officials.

Following their participation in UN events in New York, the BHRO delegation traveled to Geneva to engage in these important discussions. During the conference, they submitted a formal historical complaint to the UN Human Rights High Commissioner, denouncing ongoing human rights violations by the Dutch government in Bonaire. The complaint calls for justice, accountability, and respect for the Bonairean people’s human and self-determination rights.

On October 23, 2024, BHRO also participated in a hybrid conference titled “Empowering Youth, Indigenous Peoples, and Small Island States in Promoting Environmental Rights and Climate Justice” at Domaine de la Pastorale in Geneva. Organized by the Geneva Centre for Human Rights Advancement and Global Dialogue, the event focused on the environmental rights of vulnerable communities, particularly indigenous peoples and small island states impacted by climate change.

The Bonaire delegation highlighted the intersection of climate justice and colonialism, raising concerns about the “Pact for the Future” slogan “not to leave anyone behind”  the dire urgent threat to Bonaire’s native population due to Dutch settler-colonisation. They emphasised that Bonaireans face the risk of cultural and physical disappearance long before climate change exacerbates other global crises.

Representatives from territories including Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana, New Caledonia, French Polynesia, Sint Maarten, and Bonaire participated, alongside diplomats from Russia, Switzerland, Kazakhstan, and others. Both conferences underscored the link between historical colonial injustice, human rights, and the need for justice in these remaining colonised regions.

This event marks an important step in BHRO’s continued advocacy for the rights of Bonaire’s people on the global stage.