A year ago, Desi Bouterse became president of Suriname and many people expressed doubts about the future of the former Dutch colony; it was after all now being led by a convicted drug smuggler who had previously staged a military coup and was suspected of being behind the murders of political opponents in the 1980s. Many believed that the economy would collapse, corruption would reign and the country would suffer international isolation. The future looked anything but rosy.
Desi Bouterse
Désiré Delano Bouterse, born in 1945, is a controversial figure. He first came to power in the former Dutch colony through a military coup in 1980. In July 1999, he was convicted, in absentia, of drug-smuggling by a Dutch court and sentenced to 11 years in jail.
On 19 July 2010, he was chosen as the 9th president of Suriname after his coalition, the Mega-Combination, won the May elections. At the time he was the chief defendant in a murder trial: Two years after he seized power, 15 opponents of his regime were murdered in what has become known as the December Murders. He is alleged to have been present at the time of the killings but he has always denied the accusations.
Sharp Dutch response
Most people in Suriname was still asleep when on 26 May 2010 Dutch Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen gave his written initial reaction to the results of the previous day's general election: “Bouterse is only welcome in the Netherlands to serve his prison sentence." The sharp response set the tone for the cold political relations between the two countries. Bouterse's opponents feared the worst: “This is the first step in our international isolation".
But the former dictator has been warmly welcomed as an equal at international gatherings; the relationships with Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez and Cuba's Raúl Castro are particularly warm. Shortly after taking office, Bouterse signed a cooperation agreement on construction and rice production with Venezuela. The agreement also covered oil and fertiliser exports to Suriname and the Venezuelan president personally came to Paramaribo to sign the deal. Bouterse also worked out medical and agricultural deals with Cuba.
Democracy and press freedom
In an interview with RNW, US ambassador John Nay said, “we have absolutely no problem with the relations that Suriname has with any other countries. Suriname respects democratic ideals such as human rights and press freedom. President Bouterse has also shown that he wants to forge close ties with countries such as Brazil." Washington does not appear to have any problem with Paramaribo's ties to left-wing regimes in Central and South America.
Given Bouterse's drug smuggling history, many people feared that drug smuggling would increase in Suriname but it's not a fear the ambassador shares. “The United States cooperates with Suriname in fighting the drug trade. The current Suriname authorities are tackling the problem just as well as previous governments.
His French colleague Joel Godeau also comments on the decisiveness of the new government. Due to the cold, tense relations with the Netherlands, Suriname has chosen France as its bridge to Europe and has opened an embassy in Paris. Ambassador Godeau says, “French Guyana shares a 500 km long border with Suriname. That in fact forms the border with Europe. The choice of France as Suriname's gateway to Europe is self-explanatory." The French diplomat expects a good future for Surinamese agricultural exports to Europe, providing they satisfy EU regulations.
Trusted followers
Bouterse's ability to get things done is partly due to the way he governs: in addition to the (traditionally) slow-moving ministries, he has created a number of conditions to carry out his policies. In addition to a commission regulating the gold sector there are also presidential commissions looking at restructuring the education and health care systems and revamping the once flourishing rice industry.
While independent experts sit on the commissions, Bouterse always appoints one of his trusted followers to sit on the commission as well. Melvin Linscheer, a former bodyguard from the dictatorship, heads the gold commission.
Opposition party DA 91 says the new government is eroding the power of the ministries and Parliament: “Bouterse is consolidating power into his own hands at the expense of the ministries and avoiding democratic control and responsibility." It's a creeping presidential coup, following the Chávez model: the increased presidential power is eventually anchored into the constitution. Bouterse supporters have dismissed the accusations.
Sour fruits
However, it is Bouterse’s economically weaker supporters who are plucking the sour fruits of his hard macro economic policies. The devaluation of the Surinamese dollar was welcomed by international organisations, including the International Monetary Fund, but the measure has also seen prices rise by 20 percent over the last year and fuel prices have almost doubled.
A woman sitting in a bar takes another bite of her sandwich and shrugs, “life is hard but we need to have patience, they’ve only been in office for a year”.
(jric)
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Laan de haters haten.want in hun haat zijn ze met blindheid geslagen. Bouterse doet goed voor het land en probeert eenheid te brengen onder het volk.De regering is absoluut het beste die suriname ooit gekend heeft,en dat is werken voor het volk.Als nederland dat niet kan inzien en niet willen is te stoppen met de leugens die ze vertellen over Bouterse zullen ze versteld van staan dat Suriname het zonder Nederland kan doen. Er zijn genoeg landen in de wereld die een vriend wil zijn voor de bevolking van Suriname. Nederland sta stil kijk maar hoe de Here God dit land gezegend heeft. haat niet omdat je plunderingen zijn stop gezet.
Just a drug pusher and trafficker, an assassin, who robs people blind.
Wat een lachwekkend verhaal. Suriname wordt nooit wat. Bouterse is een ordinaire crimineel die thuis hoort bij mensen als Chavez en Castro.
Heeft niks met links te maken. Gewoon drugsdealers.
RNW moet echt dit soort nonsens niet vertellen; ligisch dat ze de subsidie stoppen van jullie.
alle verdachtmakingen ten spijt, het land suriname heeft nog nooit eerder zo een hartwerkende leider gehad. als iedere landgenoten serieus van dit land houd en voor een betere toekomst voorstaat, dan zal men zeker achter bouterse moeten staan. bouterse met de overige samenwerkende politieke partijen doen hart hun best om van suriname een leefbaar land te maken. bouterse heeft vele keren de hand toegereikt aan de vijanden om samen van dit land suriname tot hogere hoogte te brengen. opbouwend argumenten/kritiek zijn van harte welkom, en laten wij (delen van de oppositie) nou een keertje ophouden met pietlullige praatjes te verkondigen. wat deze man bouterse probeert te stimuleren onder het volk, breekt de jaloersheid bij de koppige kapot. zo bouwt men niet aan de toekomst van een land. wat mij intussen diep heeft getroffen is dat de president zijn medewerking heeft verleent om de peuter dat vermist is te berg en dal de ouders en families uit hun benauwdheid te halen. Pres yu bigi, go so doro.
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