For an equitable Amsterdam
Recently, Amsterdam has taken its first deliberate steps towards decolonisation, such as the mayor apologising in 2021 for the city’s past connections to the slave trade. However, BIJ1 recognises discrimination is still a problem in Amsterdam. Police still racially profile, intimidate and endanger people of colour. Recently, the police gained even more power to use violence without independent oversight. Amsterdam's gentrification policies also drive away families and households that cannot pay the top price for their homes, and this is a problem that disproportionately hits vulnerable families, specifically families of colour.
In addition, there is increasing inequality of opportunity in education based on ethnicity and the socio-economic status of the parents. The policies pursued by the city structurally exclude people of colour and people in a vulnerable economic position. Our views on these issues are inspired by the work of Zwart Manifest, NiNsee, Aralez, Asian Raisins, Manifest tegen Islamofobie and Oy Vey, among others.
To combat the existing colonial and racist exclusion mechanisms in Amsterdam, we call for the following initiatives, among others:
- The creation of an independent central disclosures officer for violence and discrimination perpetuated by police.
- Independent research into racism and discrimination within the municipality on all levels.
- Civil servants should receive training on anti-racism, white privilege, and prejudice in order to become become aware of the impact of racism and discrimination on job applications and the performance of employees.
- Blackface is to be banned in public spaces and public buildings.
- We call for the 'burqa ban' to not be enforced.
- A decolonisation commission is to be set up in the fields of public space, education, museums, media, art, and culture.
- The city of Amsterdam is to start a process of restoration of rights in response to the apology for the history of slavery.
- The municipality will declare Keti Koti a day of remembrance and a municipal museum about slavery is to be established.
- Amsterdam will recognise the Indonesian independence date (17 August 1945) and start the process of restoration of rights.
- Remembrance Day (May 4th) is to be radically equal and thus, should hold just commemoration with attention for all victims and all resistance fighters.
- Amsterdam is to recognise Islamophobia as a specific form of structural racism and discrimination. This is to be extended to Anti-Semitism as well.
- The city is not to enter into partnerships with cities or international cooperation with governments that illegally colonise areas and/or oppress indigenous communities. Partnerships that already exist, like the one with Tel Aviv, should be terminated immediately.
- Furthermore, attention should be paid to ensuring that there is no cooperation with companies or governments that oppress, exclude, or aggravate population groups, such as the Uyghurs.
- The city pleads for an alternative disclosures office for Antisemitism (Anti-Semitism Centre) under MDRA - the cooperation with CIDI will be terminated immediately.
- The approach to the climate crisis, and especially municipal policy, must be anti-colonial and anti-racist. In addition, the knowledge of indigenous communities should be included in this policy.