Your Eyewitness noticed that Pres Ali has just accredited a new ambassador from the Netherlands. Now, right off the bat, he wants you to know he always refers to that country, which actually founded our country, as “Holland” – and Holland it’ll be in this piece!! And since our relationship goes so far back, we oughta have an idea as to why the TWO names – and also why the people are called “Dutch”, which ain’t related to either Holland or Netherlands!!
Well, Holland’s actually a PART of the entire country that had been captured by the French around the time the English were taking over our country – which was then three Dutch colonies of Berbice, Demerara and Essequibo. Napoleon made the country into the Kingdom of Batavia, but with Holland being the most important section, the English dubbed the country “Holland”! They called the people “Dutch” from their old origins with the Germans – who actually refer to themselves as “Deutsch”!! Anyhow, we oughta know, too, that the Dutch left more than a legacy of “Dutchman” ghosts scaring the bejesus out of us!!
With the growing awareness of the effects of slavery having stunted our development at so many levels, now that we have a Dutch Ambassador, we gotta let him and his country know – in no uncertain terms – that they owe us reparations big time for what they did to us. They’ve done a remarkable job of erasing their role in enslaving millions of us from Africa and selling us into slavery in the Americas. In fact, along with the Brits, they dragged over most of the enslaved Africans – starting all the way back to the early 17th century, when they used slaves to start plantations up the Essequibo River!!
And, in fact, this has great relevance to our present contretemps with Mad Maduro and the Venezuelans – who’re now preparing to invade our Essequibo because they say it’s theirs! The Dutch explored the Essequibo River all the way up into the Rupununi – and then up the Cuyuni River, which is its tributary. In that way, they were exercising dominion over these lands, and if anything, the Arbitral Award of 1899 should’ve given us all the land drained by the Cuyuni – which they gave to Venezuela!!
Anyhow, back to the Dutch and slavery. When reparations are being demanded, most folks focus on Britain – which is OK…but Holland can’t be let off the hook!! They were the ones who STARTED the plantation system – cotton, coffee and sugar. They used enslaved Africans to enrich themselves with the produce they sold in Europe. One organization – appropriately called the “Battle Group” – figures we’re owed a TRILLION or so dollars – US!!
Cough up, Holland!!
…to Indigenous Peoples
Yesterday, the Yanks had their biggest holiday on their calendar: Thanksgiving. One of the reasons it’s the biggest is because they always have the day fall on a Thursday – which is a public holiday. But most employers give the Friday off, so they have what has to be their most important contribution to mankind in the Industrial Age: the four-day weekend!! Anyhow, what’re the Yanks giving thanks for?? You wouldn’t believe it’s for all the “bounty” of the land America has given to them.
It never crosses their mind that the said land was violently grabbed from the native Americans, who were herded into “reservations”, where they eke out a living -such as it is – in Third World conditions. They’ve been pushed so far into the background that very few in the world are aware of their existence! Folks are very het up about what’s going on in Gaza, but it’s just an updated version of what happened in America back in the day!!
Shiloh!!
…to females
This slaughter of our females – and there’s no other word for it – has gotta stop. Your Eyewitness feels that if hanging as a punishment isn’t a deterrence to the men who kill women, then retribution works for him!!
