Suriname: Effort To Build Popular Support

National Intelligence Daily

Army Commander Bouterse will announce his “Movement of National Unity” tomorrow at a mass rally in another effort to mobilize popular support to legitimize his regime. According to the US Embassy, the movement proposes a radical overhaul of Suriname’s society, politics, and economics. Religious and traditional party leaders reportedly will not support this effort. They believe it rejects a return to democracy and reaffirms the dominance of the military, which has held power since 25 February 1980.

Comment: Bouterse has planned the ceremony to coincide with Independence Day, and he will try to stir up nationalist sentiment by blaming economic problems on the Dutch and the US. The radical tone of his unity movement may be intended to salvage his revolutionary credentials following the ouster of the Cubans and the removal of some radicals from the government. Like Bouterse’s past attempts to justify his coup, however, this new program is unlikely to attract widespread support.

Date:
November 23, 1983
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