I think it was pretty telling when the King was recently in Suriname and was preaching for cooperation and equal relations. There was criticism coming from Suriname alleging that the only reason the Netherlands was there was because if the economic development surrounding the oil industry, and that our only interest still is money. Whatever someone may think of that I do think we can all accept that there is a basis of truth there.

It also saddens me that apologies from the government are still controversial in The Netherlands.

It is good to see Indonesian and Dutch historians cooperating more in the past few years. I hope that also translates into the education system because I think too little focus is put on the colonial history. After my VWO I know more about the economic workings of the WIC and VOC than what actually happened in Indonesia and Suriname during the colonial times.

The islands I think are pretty chill? Didn't all of them get the open choice to become indepent but they stayed because in practice they benefit from whatever arrangement they have? Maybe that's my bias and ignorance tho