BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 21. The Baku Initiative Group has voiced its support for the people of Bonaire in their pursuit of self-determination, June Soomer, a representative of the UN Permanent Forum on People of African Descent (PFPAD), told reporters at the office of the Baku Initiative Group, Trend reports.
“It is crucial for me to support both the Baku Initiative Group and the Bonaire Group in their efforts to secure self-determination for the people. They have been denied this right for too long. Therefore, it is necessary for a body like this, which amplifies their voices, to come here and inform the world about what is happening in Bonaire,” she said.
Soomer also explained that the UN PFPAD is dedicated to ensuring that people of African descent globally experience equality in all forms, including economic, political, and social.
“Our mandate is to report to the United Nations and the Human Rights Council on issues related to colonialism and assess how these issues impact people of African descent,” she added.
To note, as a result of colonialism, the Dutch Empire expanded swiftly, and by the 18th century, it had borders in Guiana and Indonesia, as well as factories in India, Ceylon, and Formosa. Throughout its history, the Dutch Empire has represented numerous territories in various nations across the world. Today, a number of territories of the defunct Netherlands Antilles still rely on the Netherlands: Aruba, Curacao, Sint Maarten, and the Caribbean Netherlands, which includes the islands of Bonaire, Saba, and Sint Eustatius.