NEW YORK/KRALENDIJK – Bonaire Human Rights Organization (BHRO) recently took part in the United Nations “Summit of the Future” in New York. Representatives Davika Bissessar, President of BHRO, and James Finies, founder of Movemento Pa Kambio, were present to represent Bonaire.

During the summit, over 100 world leaders gathered to discuss the “Pact for the Future,” aiming for inclusion and ensuring that no one is left behind. The event provided BHRO with the opportunity to draw attention to Bonaire’s fight for self-determination and the ongoing human rights violations the island faces.

BHRO highlighted that since 2010, Bonaire has been experiencing systematic depopulation, with the native population now making up less than 32% of the island’s total. They argued that the island’s educational system and native language have been replaced by a colonial language, contributing to the mental colonization of its youth.

Self-determination

During the summit, BHRO called for action from the international community to support Bonaire’s right to self-determination and to have the island re-listed as a Non-Self-Governing Territory by the UN. They emphasized the urgency of fair representation and access to resources to safeguard the island’s future.