WILLEMSTAD - The Human Rights Caribbean Foundation (HRC) was established on 10 December 2018 on the initiative of citizens of Curaçao who were seriously concerned about the policy and practice of the Curaçao and the Dutch government with regard to refugees from Venezuela.
In the submitted document, signed by a large number of citizens, the concern was motivated by the importance of humanitarian aid, and also the concern that the Kingdom was starting to lose its globally recognized reputation for protecting human rights.
While the government was still looking for a correct attitude and requesting assistance from the Dutch government, Ieteke Witteveen, along with a number of other people, made the decision to set up a human rights NGO that could provide direct assistance to the people who were fleeing.
In a short time, HRC was able to grow, under her leadership, into a nationally and internationally valued partner of, among others, Stichting Vluchteling in the Netherlands, UNHCR, Stichting Samenwerkende organizations, etc. Practical and legal help got underway and media from home and abroad published on the courage and commitment. And HRC was also regularly prepared to assist ministers in Curaçao with advice and action, without losing sight of the separate responsibilities.
It is known worldwide that NGOs defending human rights are also being attacked or coming under pressure from political forces. There were of course ugly messages on FaceBook, which are just as much a part of the encouragement and praise of citizens.
In August 2019, the substantive and financial support from home and abroad for HRC grew rapidly, chairman Witteveen decided to expand the board of the Foundation and to professionalize the organization. Two new board members were added to the Foundation's Board, which increased the board from 2 to 4 members, and there was a proposal to set up an executive office with expert staff, while legal assistance to refugees would be further formalized.
However, the new board members were of a different opinion. They gave priority to a combination of their board membership with payment to them for executive duties. They also preferred close cooperation with the government, and HRC had to deal with other human rights issues.
The principal opposition of the chairman was:
1. Board members have different responsibilities than executive staff and precisely because they work with money from the public, care is required. We must ensure that the foundation cannot be misused as a revenue model for board members;
2. Defending human rights requires activism and courage, even though there is sometimes irritation with a government because you are at the forefront. It is not for nothing that a resolution has been adopted in the UN circle and a day has been set for protecting human rights defenders;
3. All human rights deserve attention, but the priority is determined by the reality of the day.
In September, relations deteriorated further, reports were sent to donor organizations without coordination with the chairman, culminating in the chairman's calling an emergency meeting, and writing a letter in which she expressed her vision of the conflict and the direction of the solution.
In response, the other board members decided to dismiss the chairman. Conscious of the fact that this fight mainly made losers among the distressed target group, the chairman decided to step down. However, she will continue the work she started. Putting people first.
