New Suriname Strike Blacks Out the Capital

Striking electricity workers blacked out Paramaribo today, shutting down most offices, schools and government communications in spreading labor protests against the regime of Lieut. Col. Desi Bouterse.

Utility workers, chanting anti-Government slogans, took over the main electricity plant and forced soldiers guarding it to flee, the police said.

No injuries were reported in the strike, which cut off electricity and water for the capital’s 200,000 people, over half the population of this country in northeastern South America.

Strikers ignored orders to return to work from labor leaders, who were reluctant to challenge the Government since soldiers killed 15 Bouterse opponents after a nationwide strike in 1982.

The new strike began in protest against the Government’s decision to nationalize an electric company.

Bauxite miners are in their third week of a strike to protest new taxes. Teachers plan to strike Monday.

A version of this article appears in print on Jan. 7, 1984, Section 1, Page 5 of the National edition with the headline: AROUND THE WORLD; New Suriname Strike Blacks Out the Capital. 

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https://www.nytimes.com/1984/01/07/world/around-the-world-new-suriname-strike-blacks-out-the-capital.html

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Date:
January 7, 1984
Categories:
Asymmetric Warfare, Economic Isolation, Soft War
Tags:
Boxes:
Press
Years:
1984
Persons:
META DATA
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