On behalf of all Netherlands-Antillean people, we hereby solicit legal counsel on a pro-deo basis pertaining to the following.
Since the revolt of May 30, 1969 on Curacao (‘Trinta di Mei’), the ‘Dutch-Antillean’ identity was de facto acknowledged, granting those recognized as such, special benefits under the process that came to be known as the ‘Antilleanzation-process’.
Also, for the first time positions, which up till then were not-accessible to ‘Afro-Antilleans’, were ‘broken open’.
Examples were for instance, Ernesto PETRONIA, our first ever Black Prime-minister, Ben LEITO, our first ever Black Governor-general and many more.
These special privileges, were earned and accumulated through various events in our emancipation process as people of the Netherlands Antilles.
One relatively recent one being the revolt ‘Trinta de Mei 1969’.
Under the Antilleanization-process a number of pro-Antillean policies were enacted and implemented, which collectively offered all Antilleans on all islands, the first rights to opportunities over all others, including Dutch-Europeans.
Presently, these hard-fought human-rights for the Antillean people are being threatened to be taken away from all Antillean people, as a consequence of the ongoing constitutional developments affecting each island of the Antilles.
While we do not, at this time necessarily oppose constitutional change, as a native-indigenous St. Martin movement and as Antilleans, we are of the firm opinion that by no legal and/or moral standards, it can be accepted, that human-rights acquired by a people during the long period of their emancipation, can be taken away from them under the guise of ‘constitutional progress’.
That is a ‘contracdictio in terminis’ and a betrayal of the sacrifices of our ancestors !.
In fact, we would like to believe that it is also a flagrant violation of our human-rights as Antilleans and natives of the Netherlands-Antilles.
It is our absolute determination to prevent this apparent illegal act and crime against the Antillean people from becoming reality.
Without necessarily wanting to undermine the ongoing constitutional developments, we would like to believe that with professional legal counsel, it should be possible to amend the various draft-constitutions and agreements to reflect the continuation of the Antillean rights in an appropriate manner adjusted to the native Antillean people of each island of the Antilles.
We look forward to the pro-deo counsel of preferably Antillean lawyers to ‘step up to the plate’ and in the name of all Antillean people, including those like the late Papa GODETT, dr. Costa GOMEZ and others who sacrificed their lives for us, to protect these rights, many shed ‘blood, sweat and tears’ for.
If needs be, rest assured that we will champion our cause on whatever platform necessary.
In ending, let not the spirit of our ancestors be evoked to create another ‘Trinta di Mei’.
For any proud and intelligent people one should be enough.
Drs. Leopold JAMES
President SNBF/L’Esprit de Concordia
Proud, Antillean of native-indigenous St. Martin heritage, without apologies !
Copies to
UN
CARICOM
Human-rights organizations