Suriname: Labor Strikes

National Intelligence Daily

Violence is likely if the military intervenes to stop a week-old strike among bauxite workers.

The wildcat strike protesting proposed tax increases has spread to Suriname’s other major bauxite facility. According to the US Embassy, the government’s failure to address the workers’ demands prompted frustrated strikers to shut down a major source of electric power to the capital yesterday.

Meanwhile, the government announced that it decided to make some unspecified concessions on taxes. It is also willing to negotiate some of the other demands of the strikers with the labor unions.

The strikers presented a list of 13 grievances to government ministers at a meeting last week.

[CENSORED]

Comment: The government’s delay in dealing with this crisis indicates that Army Commander Bouterse wants to avoid a showdown and that he probably is looking for a way to calm the situation. Although Bouterse’s first step has been to offer concessions to strikers, if the situation continues to deteriorate or causes widespread social unrest, he probably will not hesitate to act forcibly. The absence of military action so far suggests Bouterse may try to appease the workers, even at the expense of the faltering economy. Meanwhile, the continuing strike will lead to losses in tax revenues and foreign exchange earnings.

Date:
December 28, 1983
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