Press Report: People’s Party Leader Interview

F-1988-00163

Dr. Rubin Lie Pak Sam, leader of the People’s Party of Suriname, was interviewed by his party’s weekly paper Pipel. Following are excerpts from that interview:

“Nearly everybody is happy that the Arron government is gone, even our countrymen in Holland. For thirty years the old parties have ruled this country without clear results. The operation of the young soldiers of the Board of the Military Cadre has given everybody hope that things will go better.

The members of the People’s Party must not remain passive, leaving everything to the military. The call of the NMC that we all have to work hard for our future is clearly aimed at the progressive forces in Suriname. The problems of this country cannot be solved in a military way; the problems here are politically organizational, the formulating of concrete developmental goals. But there are also problems in executing the sound projects already started.

We have now entered the most difficult phase. A government must be proposed. The People’s Party agrees that the civilian board’s members must be capable, honest, and unblemished. We now have a chance to call on our best and most capable elements in the Surinamese community.

It depends completely on us which way the events will go. If we remain passive; if the well-meaning and progressive elements do not get the opportunity to bring the operation to a social success; maximal exploitation of our natural resources and the intelligence and energy of our people is impossible. If we look on passively as opportunistic elements and politicians try to master the results of the operation, within a short while we will return to the same situation as before. The People’s Party is willing, at any time, to give its best efforts to the development of the country.”

Comment: Airgram giving full text of interview follows. End comment.

Source:

C09000021

Link:

Internal Link:

https://surinamepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Press-Report-Peoples-Party-Leader-Interview-March-1980-C09000021.pdf

Date:
March 12, 1980
Categories:
Tags:
Boxes:
F-1988-00163
Years:
1980
Persons:
Rubin Lie Pak Sam
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META DATA

Unclassified
Department of State Telegram

Page 01 PARAMA 00467 142359Z
Action ARA-15
Info OCT-01 EUR-12 ADS-00 MMO-01 /029 W
004344 1502alz /63
R 1212052 MAR 80
Department of State A/CDC/IR
FM AMEMBASSY PARAMARIBO OCT 17 1980
TO USIAFO WASHDC
INFO SECSTATE WASHDC 6133
AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE

Unclas Paramaribo 0467
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Subject: Press Report: People's Party Leader Interview

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