Aruba

Aruba

Aruba’s political center was located on the island of Curacao while under the colonial control of the Netherlands from 1634 until 1986. Decisions on political issues in Aruba were made by the Dutch Governor who was located on Curacao. With the economic boom of the oil refineries in the 1900’s, the people of Aruba started to feel the need to have a say in issues facing them. Many political issues were put on hold because of World War II and the German occupation of the Netherlands from 1940 to 1944. With the world at peace, the issue of the post war handling of their colonies had to be faced by the Dutch.

The Netherlands Antilles, which includes------------------- was granted universal adult suffrage in 1950 and internal self-government in 1950. After four years of considerable discussion, the Dutch government and its American colonies adopted an unusual constitutional experiment, the Statute of the Realm, which became effective in December 1954. Under the Statute, the Dutch monarch reined over a composite realm made up of the three kingdoms of the Netherlands, Suriname, and the Netherlands Antilles. The statue grants the Dutch islands considerable autonomy. The realm has jurisdiction over defense, foreign affairs, the sharing of citizenship, and certain other specific matters. All other governmental powers are reserved to the former colonies. Even in foreign affairs, the Netherlands Antilles can join international bodies, and the Realm may not make or break treaties affecting its Caribbean members without their consent .

The Kingdom of the Netherlands Antilles formed the Antilles Federation. The center of political power for Aruba during the colonial period was located in Curacao. With the coming changes resulting from World War II, the real issue brought forward before the war was not resolved. A government located on Curacao still ruled Aruba. Leaders of Aruba remained convinced that Curacao treated them unfairly and unjustly obtained too much of their income. The Netherlands maintained that any island leaving the federation must become an independent nation.

As Aruba’s economy was boosted by the establishment of the Standard Oil Company of New Jersey (Exxon)’s largest refinery in the world in 19----------------, the cry for independence (or “Status Aparte”) became more and more vivid. During this period the political parties A.V.P (Arubaanse Volks Partij) and U.N.A. (Union Nacionalista Arybano) governed the island.