A Look at the Post-Bouterse Government

Talking Points on Suriname for DDCI and DDI – 18 December 1986

This document is part of this file: https://surinamepress.com/bb2/talking-points-on-suriname-for-ddci-and-ddi/


We would expect the Dutch to install a transitional civilian government that would be tasked with drafting a constitution and preparing for elections.

  • The Dutch may choose to retain Prime Minister Radhakishun and many members of this civilian cabinet; Dutch officials have told Embassy officers that they could cooperate closely with Prime Minister Radhakishun if Bouterse suddenly left the scene.
  • Cabinet members closely associated with Bouterse, such as the vehemently anti-Dutch Foreign Minister Herrenberg, would probably be ousted if they had not already resigned, fled the country, or joined any remaining pro-Bouterse forces.
  • The Dutch might decide to set up a more broadly based provisional government in which the traditional political parties, labor and other interest groups, exile leaders, and Brunswijk’s forces would be represented. We doubt that the Dutch, however, would want Brunswijk himself to play a significant role in any post-Bouterse government.
  • Creation of such an umbrella group carries some risks; the traditional parties and labor unions that recently won some political concessions from Bouterse, for example, would be wary of cooperating with exiles, who lack internal support.
  • Beyond the transition period, one of the traditional moderate ethnically based political parties would probably form a new government and would almost certainly pursue a pro-West course.
  • We would not expect the remnants of any of the small leftist-oriented political parties, which lack popular support, to play a significant role under a democratic system.
Date:
December 19, 1986
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