Bonaire Activist: ‘Our nation may cease to exist in a few decades’

"At this rate, our people will no longer exist in a few decades," James Finies, a representative of the Bonaire Human Rights Organization, told reporters during a protest against the Dutch and French colonial regimes held under the motto "Solidarity for a Green and Decolonized World," Report informs.

Finies revealed that Bonaire has been forced to live under a colonial regime for the past four centuries. "The international issue we want to raise is that we haven't had a single day of freedom in 400 years. Our existence in this world is not recognized. We are happy to be in Azerbaijan. If the Baku Initiative Group had not reached out to us, we would have disappeared from this world without you even knowing."

He added that the problems they face have significantly reduced the native population of Bonaire. "We are a small island nation, but they are trying to destroy us. In 2024, the proportion of the indigenous population fell below 30 percent. At this rate, our people will no longer exist in a few decades, and you will never see a Bonairean here."

"Today, our people can hope again. There are people in the world who care about us. Because we were born with the same rights and dignity as everyone else in this world. We, too, deserve to live in peace and develop," Finies concluded.