BONAIRE — The Bonaire Human Rights Organization (BHRO) strongly condemns the recent article published on July 7th, 2026 by Bonaire.nu and written by reporter Hans Hofstra, which shifts public attention away from the findings of the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights through speculation and unfounded insinuations concerning Mr. James Finies.
James Finies founder of BHRO is accredited to the United Nations, is an Associated Member of the CARICOM Reparations Commission, and is a member of COPPPAL. It is an internationally recognized human rights organization that has participated in United Nations processes in New York, Geneva, and Vienna. It has engaged with United Nations human rights mechanisms through written submissions, oral interventions, and advocacy concerning the rights of the people of Bonaire.
From 2016 through 2026, James Finies has participated in United Nations activities as an independent civil society representative advocating on behalf of the people of Bonaire. Mr. Finies addressed meetings and conferences at the United Nations in both Geneva and New York. During 2024 to 2026, he delivered more than 50 interventions before United Nations mechanisms, including the Human Rights Council, ECOSOC, the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent, and international conferences on women’s rights, UN Experts Mechanisms and Experts Working Groups meetings and more. These interventions are matters of public record and are available through the official UN archives including the UN Web TV.
Mr. Finies was also recently elected President of the COPPPAL Decolonization Committee, reflecting international recognition of his long standing work on decolonization and human rights.
The real story is that the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights has once again called upon the Kingdom of the Netherlands to urgently address the deep and persistent inequalities and disparities affecting Bonaire, including poverty, housing, healthcare, social protection, Self-Determination, Education and Culture disparities, the high cost of living and the meaningful participation of the people of Bonaire in decisions affecting their future.
Rather than focusing on the serious issues affecting Bonaire, including the Dutch Government’s administration of the island and the findings and recommendations made by United Nations human rights mechanisms, the newspaper instead sought to cast doubt on Mr. James Finies’ participation in United Nations activities. The article suggests that inquiries have been made and that no responses were received. However, the Bonaire Human Rights Organization (BHRO) has never received any inquiries from Bonaire.nu regarding Mr. Finies’ participation in United Nations activities. In the absence of any such inquiry to BHRO, it is inappropriate to imply that there was a failure to respond or to encourage speculation that could undermine Mr. Finies’ credibility.
Furthermore, while local Bonairean and Caribbean newspapers do publish James Finies and BHRO press releases, Dutch and English-language outlets on Bonaire, including Bonaire.nu and the Bonaire Reporter, have consistently declined to do so. On the limited occasions when our submissions have been published, they have been edited or rewritten in a manner that alters their original meaning and advances the newspaper’s own narrative, rather than presenting the news and our position fairly and accurately.
BHRO further notes that participation in United Nations human rights mechanisms by civil society organizations is a well-established feature of the UN system and is separate from participation in an official government delegation. Mr. Finies has participated in accordance with the rules applicable to the respective UN processes.
The article also questioned the funding of Mr. Finies’ international advocacy. BHRO confirms that it has submitted annual financial reports to the tax authorities reports covering 2016 through 2025. Those reports identify the organization’s sources of funding, including donations from the Parke Libertat Playground, contributions from the Bissessar Family, the Finies Family, and numerous small private donations from supporters on Bonaire, including members of the Dutch community.
During 2026, the We the People of Bonaire Platform (Plataforma Pueblo Boneriano) and the Bonaire Human Rights Organization (BHRO) will host a public exhibition presenting official United Nations records documenting more than a decade of James Finies and BHRO’s participation in UN human rights processes from 2016 to 2026. BHRO will also provide the media with a fact sheet containing official UN references and UN Web TV links, enabling journalists and the public to independently follow the organization’s work.
BHRO further calls upon Bonaire.nu and its reporter, Hans Hofstra, to uphold the principles of ethical journalism by ensuring that reporting is based on verified facts, fairness, and professional diligence. The people of Bonaire deserve journalism that informs the public about important international human rights developments affecting the island.
