Suriname Coup SITREP 3

F-2012-32744

CONFIDENTIAL
U.S. Department of State
Case No. F-2012-32744
Doc No. C06033906
Date: 02/22/2017

PAGE 01 PARAMA 00443 111631Z
ACTION ARA-16
RELEASE IN FULL
INFO OCT-00 ADS-00 AID-07 INR-10 EUR-12 SS-10 OPR-02 CIAE-00 EB-08 H-01 NSCE-00 NSAE-00 SSO-00 SY-05 HA-06 L-03 PM-09 PA-01 MCT-02 CCO-00 DOTE-00 OMB-01 INRE-00 OCS-06 CA-01 FAA-00 FBOE-00 ANAE-00 RP-10 ACDA-12 A-02 USSS-00 ICAE-00 SYE-00 SP-02 OC-06 MCE-00 SR-04 PLE-00 SPRS-02 /138 W
145520 111638Z/46

O 111535Z MAR 82 ZFF-4

FM AMEMBASSY PARAMARIBO
TO SECSTATE WASHDC NIACT IMMEDIATE 8505
AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN IMMEDIATE
INFO AMEMBASSY BRASILIA IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY CARACAS IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN IMMEDIATE
AMCONSUL CURACAO IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY PORT OF SPAIN IMMEDIATE
AMCONSUL MARTINIQUE IMMEDIATE
USCINCSO QUARRY HGTS PN
DIA WASHDC
CONFIDENTIAL PARAMARIBO 0443
E.O. 12065: GDS 3-11-88 (LaRoche, Richard R.) OR-M
TAGS: PINT NS

SUBJECT: Suriname Coup Sitrep 3

REF: Rickert/LaRoche Phonecon

  1. C – Entire text.
  2. Charge contacted Police Commissioner Vrij in his office. He was reluctant to speak but gave the following outline report of the situation as of 11:00 local time:
  3. Vrij, who denied he or any police units were part of coup group, said the situation was very confused and unstable. The coup was led by an army unit under command of former Army Lieutenant Rambocus. This unit had surrounded Memre Boekoe and gained “control.” Fighting was limited to small arms. Vrij was unsure whether all troops inside had been disarmed and thought there might be negotiations underway between factions.
  4. The ‘other side,’ according to Vrij, is under present command of Battalion Commander Henk Fernandes, who is said to be in Fort Zeelandia military police camp. Vrij believes Bouterse may also be in the camp. He thinks Fernandes is negotiating with Rambocus at Fort Zeelandia.
  5. Vrij claims not to know the whereabouts of Garrison Commander Horb, but he thought it was possible he had been “captured.”
  6. As of 11:15 local, the main airport at Zanderij was open, but we have been told that at least one outgoing international flight that morning was cancelled. All domestic Suriname Airlines flights have been cancelled, and the airport at Zorg en Hoop (in Paramaribo) is under the control of Air Force head, Major Vasilda, who has a small contingent of men protecting the Air Force’s newly obtained aircraft in its hangar.

LA ROCHE

Review Authority: Leonard Kusnitz, Senior Reviewer

CONFIDENTIAL
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