Bonaire's Green Paper: A Roadmap for Self-Government and Political Equality

In May 2017, the Foundation Nos Kier Boneiru Bek (NKBB), written by Mr James Finies published what has become one of the most important political documents in Bonaire's modern history: Bonaire's Green Paper: Re-Listing Bonaire on the United Nations List of Non-Self-Governing Territories.

Far more than a political position paper, the Green Paper was a comprehensive examination of Bonaire's constitutional journey, its democratic aspirations, and the island's unresolved decolonization process. At its core was a simple but profound argument: the people of Bonaire have never chosen either integration into the Netherlands or independence. Instead, they have consistently sought a form of self-government based on political equality within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

The Green Paper traces Bonaire's constitutional development from the 1954 Charter of the Kingdom of the Netherlands through the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles on 10 October 2010. It argues that the transformation of Bonaire into a Dutch Public Entity was not the result of the freely expressed wishes of the Bonerian people as required by international law and United Nations decolonization standards.

According to the document, Bonaire's population repeatedly expressed its desire for greater control over its own affairs. The 2004 referendum supported a direct relationship with the Netherlands, but not integration. In 2010, voters overwhelmingly rejected the Public Entity status, and in 2015, 65.55 percent of voters once again rejected the existing constitutional arrangement. Despite these democratic expressions, the Green Paper explains that the constitutional course remained unchanged.

A central theme throughout the document is the principle of self-determination. The authors maintain that self-determination does not automatically mean independence. Under United Nations Resolution 1541, a people may choose independence, integration, or a form of free association and self-government.

The document proposes a future in which Bonaire remains within the Kingdom of the Netherlands while exercising full control over its internal affairs. Under this vision, Bonaire would have its own constitution, parliament, legislative authority, and executive powers while retaining Dutch nationality and maintaining cooperative relations with the Kingdom. In essence, the proposal seeks political equality rather than political separation.

The Green Paper also raises concerns regarding democratic deficits within the current Public Entity structure. These include limited representation in Dutch decision-making processes, unequal social and economic treatment compared with municipalities in the European Netherlands, and extensive powers retained by Dutch authorities over local governance. The document further argues that these conditions do not meet the international standards for full self-government established by the United Nations.

Perhaps the most significant contribution of the Green Paper is its detailed examination of Bonaire's relationship with the United Nations. The document challenges the common assumption that the decolonization of the former Netherlands Antilles was fully completed in 1955. It argues that the United Nations merely relieved the Netherlands of certain reporting obligations under Article 73(e) of the UN Charter and did not conclusively determine that the islands had achieved a full measure of self-government.

Based on this interpretation, the Green Paper calls for Bonaire to be re-listed on the United Nations List of Non-Self-Governing Territories. Such a step, its authors argue, would not make Bonaire independent. Instead, it would place Bonaire's constitutional future under international oversight and provide a framework for meaningful negotiations on self-government consistent with international law and the wishes of the Bonerian people.

The significance of the Green Paper extended far beyond Bonaire's shores. Following its publication, the document became an important advocacy and educational tool used by James Finies and other supporters of Bonaire's self-determination movement during meetings and discussions with regional leaders, parliamentarians, diplomats, academics, and civil society organizations throughout the Caribbean, Latin America, and Central America and further.

The Green Paper helped introduce Bonaire's constitutional concerns to a wider international audience by providing a detailed historical, legal, and political framework for understanding the island's position. It served as a foundation for dialogue on decolonization, self-government, political equality, and the right of the Bonerian people to determine their own constitutional future in accordance with international law. In many respects, it became the first comprehensive roadmap through which Bonaire's case was presented and explained to regional and international stakeholders beyond the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Nearly a decade after its publication, many of the issues raised in the Green Paper remain central to Bonaire's political debate. Questions of democratic participation, cultural preservation, economic equality, self-determination, and Bonaire's constitutional future continue to shape discussion locally and internationally.

Whether one agrees or disagrees with its conclusions, the Green Paper remains a landmark document in Bonaire's political history. It presents a vision of political equality, democratic consent, and the principle that the people of Bonaire should determine their own future. More importantly, it transformed a local struggle into a regional and international conversation.

The Green Paper warned that Bonaireans could become a minority in their own homeland due to demographic, political, economic, and cultural pressures. Nearly ten years later, that warning appears increasingly prophetic. Recent CBS data indicate that the native Bonairean population has fallen below 30 percent, with projections suggesting it could decline to less than 15 percent within the next decade.

At its core, the Green Paper explains that Bonaire's current constitutional status lacks legitimacy under international law because it was not founded upon the freely expressed and democratically confirmed will of the Bonerian people as required by United Nations standards on self-determination and decolonization. It therefore calls for unity, regional support, and United Nations involvement to protect Bonaire's right to self-determination, political equality, cultural identity, and sustainable development before demographic change irreversibly alters the future of the island.

For more information on Bonaire’s Green Paper: www.bonairehumanrights.org

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