Just think about it.
Let us study our recent history as people of the Netherlands-Antilles, and consider what our political leaders are about to take away from us Antilleans, so-called for some ‘new status’, but one without any guarantees for our survival as an Antillean people in return.
On May 30, 1969, a popular and violent revolt took place on Curacao.
It has come to be referred to as ‘Trinta di Mei’.
That date de facto has come to represent the ‘advent’ of what was called the ‘Antilleanization’ process.
Simply put the notion of the ‘Antillean-identity’ was born.
The sacrifices made by those who were part of the ‘revolt’ of 1969, was the acknowledgment of the rights of the ‘Antillean’ to be first when it came to job-opportunities in government as well as in the private-sector.
Who does not remember in practically all adds the condition, ‘Antilleans only need apply’ ?
For the first time for instance after the ‘revolt’, the Antilles had a BLACK prime-minister, Ernesto PETRONIA and a BLACK Governor-general, Ben LEITO and BLACKS occupied all possible top-positions.
The birth of the UNA, the full recognition of the Papiamento language as language of instruction etc.
One of the most interesting consequences of the fruits of the blood, sweat and tears of the participants of the revolt was the ‘Antilleanization’-policy.
It in fact meant was that we as Antilleans were uniquely protected in our own country, even against DUTCH Europeans, whose passports we actually carry.
At the same time we as Antilleans, were able to profit from the same rights as our Dutch European fellow citizens, in the ‘Motherland’ Holland.
In other words, we were protected by means of ‘positive-discrimination’ (affirmative-program) against all other DUTCH nationals and naturalized Dutch citizens living in the Antilles.
That was a status, many in the region, the French-side deeply envied the us Antilles for.
Now, finally our leaders have ‘turned the table’ on us Antilleans, by removing that ‘protective-shield’ from us and exposing us to the masses of all other immigrant-groups.
Now, every Johnny, Thom and Harry come-lately, will have the same rights as us in our country and by virtue of their larger and ever increasing numbers in fact completely replace us through genocide by substitution.
That is what our politicians bargained for.
Our demise as Antillean people without special protection in our lands.
This betrayal can however be corrected.
By re-visiting the draft constitutions and making sure that on EVERY island of the Antilles, the concept of ‘Antilleanization’ is transformed to protect the Antilleans of the respective islands.
Thus on St. Maarten, there will be a transformation called ‘St. Martinization’, on St. Eustatius, ‘Statianization’, on Saba, ‘Sabanization’ on Bonaire, ‘Bonairization’
After all, it can not be that as we so-called get more autonomy, it should mean that the people of the land should lose their rights to self-determination or the right to get first opportunities in their own country, that is unheard of and …criminal.
I dare to state that losing such rights can be ruled illegally in any court of law, anywhere in the world and perhaps, it should be presented in the de-colonization committee of the UN.
Who knows, we will initiate the process ?
In ending, we issue a very firm ‘caveat’ to the leaders of this country, not to rush into any status ‘country St. Maarten’, without taken the above mentioned into consideration.
It might result in SXM’s own ‘10-10-10’ on ‘ground-zero’.
‘Food for thought’
Leopold JAMES,
Proud native-indigenous St. Martiner….without apologies.
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Leopold James
President SNBF & L'Esprit de Concordia
