WASHINGTON, D.C--Dr. Rhoda Arrindell of the ONE SXM Association was among the participants, speakers and signatories at an international conference held at the United States Congress building on Capitol Hill, where concerns related to the right of return, self-determination and the political future of several territories, including St. Maarten and other Dutch Caribbean islands, were formally raised.
The conference, held on June 24, 2026, was organized under the theme “Right of Return and Self-Determination: Double Standards and Selective Approaches.” It brought together experts in refugee and minority rights, human rights defenders, international law specialists, representatives of diaspora organizations, civil society institutions, affected communities, Sikh community representatives and pro-independence representatives from Dutch Caribbean territories.
Dr. Arrindell, President of the ONE SXM Association, attended the conference and was one of the speakers. She also signed the address submitted to Members of the United States Congress on behalf of the participants, alongside Abbas Abbasov, Executive Director of the Baku Initiative Group, and Warring Parbhot Singh, Legal Adviser to the Sikh Federation International.
The signed address called on Members of Congress to give serious and due consideration to concerns connected to the right of return, self-determination, equality, democratic representation, cultural identity, political status and access to effective legal remedies.
The document specifically referenced the peoples of Aruba, Curaçao, St. Maarten, St. Eustatius and Saba, affirming that they should have the opportunity to preserve their religious, cultural and linguistic identity and to freely and fully state their position on their political and constitutional future.
The address also stated that issues of self-determination, political status, democratic representation, autonomy and equality concerning the peoples of Aruba, Curaçao, St. Maarten, St. Eustatius and Saba remain relevant.
Participants encouraged transparent and inclusive dialogue on political status, self-government, democratic representation, economic dependency, cultural identity and access to effective legal remedies in respect of the peoples of the Dutch Caribbean territories.
The address recalled the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, international human rights covenants and relevant United Nations resolutions on self-determination and decolonization. It also reaffirmed that all peoples have the right to freely determine their political status and to pursue their economic, social and cultural development.
The participants expressed concern about what they described as selective approaches to the rights of return and self-determination. They called for those rights to be applied consistently, impartially and without discrimination.
The address also called on Members of the United States Congress to support hearings, briefings and consultations, and to establish direct dialogue with affected communities. Participants further asked Congress to promote the consistent application of human rights principles and to raise the issues outlined in the address for further discussion.
In addition to the Dutch Caribbean concerns, the conference also addressed the right of Azerbaijanis to return to their ancestral lands, including issues related to property rights and cultural heritage. The address further called for a credible, impartial and comprehensive investigation into discrimination, intimidation, restrictions on fundamental freedoms and transnational repression allegedly affecting Sikh communities.
The document concluded by emphasizing that participants expect a response from Members of Congress and support for the issues set out in the address.
For St. Maarten, Dr. Arrindell’s participation placed the island’s political status, self-determination concerns and broader constitutional questions within an international forum that also addressed the experiences of other affected communities seeking recognition, dialogue and remedies.
