Suriname SITREP Five, December 13

F-2012-32749

Page 01 PARAMA 02587 01 of 02 142206Z
Action: ARA-16
Info: OCT-00 COPY-01 ADS-00 AID-07 INR-10 EUR-12 SS-10 OPR-02 CIAE-00 H-01 NSCE-00 NSAE-00 SSO-00 SY-06 HA-08 L-03 PM-09 PA-01 MCT-02 CCO-00 OMB-01 INRE-00 OCS-06 CA-01 FBOE-00 A-02 USSS-00 SYE-00 SP-02 OC-06 SR-06 SNP-01 SPRS-01 /114 W
305165 142220Z /62
O 142000Z DEC 82 ZFF-4
FM: AMEMBASSY PARAMARIBO
Released in full
TO: SECSTATE WASHDC NIACT IMMEDIATE 9314
Info: AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN, AMEMBASSY BRASILIA, AMEMBASSY CARACAS, AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN, AMEMBASSY KINGSTON, AMEMBASSY PORT OF SPAIN, AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE, DIA WASHINGTON DC//, USCINCSOUTH QUARRY HGTS PN, A/USIA WASHDC 0382
Confidential Section 01 of 02 PARAMARIBO 2587
USIA for AR
E.O. 12356: Decl: OADR
Tags: PINT, NS, US
Subj: Suriname SITREP Five, December 13
Refs: A) PARAMARIBO 2575, B) PARAMARIBO 2573, C) PARAMARIBO 2568

  1. Confidential – entire text.
  2. Surface calm continues, and some members of the leadership group were sighted over weekend. Workers returning to work and military stand-down in city continue. However, locally distributed flyers call for anti-military guerilla war if things don’t change by 14 December, and plead with US and Holland to assist country to return to traditional democracy.
    Also, there are rumors in Suriname, probably originating from Radio Nederlands, about formation of a government in exile. School attendance low as some parents keep children home. Several burials of executed opposition leaders have taken place without incident. Possibility that aura of normality being fostered by military authority may be disturbed by sporadic actions, but military reins appear tight. Threat to embassy or Americans in country appears low. End summary.
  3. Bouterse, Garrison Commander Major Roy Horb, Cpt. Graangoost, Minister Army and of Police, Fonmin Naarendorp, Energy Minister Tjon Kie Sin, and Winston Caldeira, Director of Planning and Development, were all reliably reported as being seen at Presidential Palace over weekend. Palace is current center of political activity for Bouterse and coterie.
  4. At same time, military stand-down which began on December 10 continues, as troop level in city was almost normal. This includes military garrison which did not appear to be in any extraordinary readiness status. Exception was military headquarters at Ft. Zeelandia in Paramaribo, where there were more troops evident today during morning rush hours than since initial military action against political opposition on 8 December.
  1. Work stoppages are near end as most businesses open, including major retail concerns and banks. Operations and commercial activities are also near normal. However, Suralco workers have not yet returned in sufficient numbers to permit start-up of operations, but GOS is pressing Suralco management to begin operations as soon as possible. Gasoline service stations are open and school attendance level is near normal. Some schools in city closed after opening as some parents keep children home.
  2. Recent occurrence that must be disturbing to military is appearance on streets of unsigned, photocopies of typed handbill entitled “Free Peoples Paper” (Vrije Volkskrant) which warns country’s rulers that “should the situation not change before 2359 on Monday, December 13, the guerilla war of citizens shall begin.” The publication also suggests to citizens who are concerned about missing persons to contact police.
  3. Flyer also lists “hard-core” of 6 persons, including Bouterse, P. Bhagwandas, R. Tolud, B. Sital, Waterval, and R. Esajas, alleges they carried out executions, and will probably later eliminate their current military and civilian supporters. Major Horb and “rest of group of 16” (original commandos who seized power in February 1980) are listed as having had “only a little influence” in carrying out the murders of political opponents of regime. Only civilian named is E. Brunings, a member of Revolutionary People’s Party (RVP) and member of now defunct university board; civilian organizations listed as being involved are People’s Militia and People’s Mobilization.
  4. Flyer also calls on all those above-named to prepare letters to people of country which can be “handed over to an institution which can keep it for them, (and) surrender (or) go into hiding for the time being until the situation is fully under the control of the population.”
  5. Embassy has received copy of a typed letter styled as a “Petition to the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the United States of America” which authors claim was prepared by university and high school students, their parents, teachers, and democrats who make up “80-90 percent of the people.” Flyer pleads with US and Holland to help keep country free and in Western camp and out of grasp of Castro and other forms of authoritarianism. It points out that “as responsible representatives of democracy, (the US and Holland) certainly know that Surinamers do not desire Cuba.”
  6. Approximately 12 of executed persons were buried yesterday. Burials took place at several cemeteries within city; we have no reports of incidents.
  7. Comment: As more people return to work and conspicuous military presence in civilian institutions and sections of city lessens, appearance of normality is enhanced. However, flyers calling for popular resistance and foreign help suggest that shock of past weeks terror is wearing off and that Surinamers may begin more active and possibly violent opposition to regime. Given evidence, it is also clear, however, that Bouterse would deal decisively and harshly with any threat of counteraction.
  8. Meeting called by military authority of members of peoples committees, district councils and regional councils initially scheduled for December 12 was rescheduled for afternoon of December 13. At time of writing, we have no readout on gathering.

    Duemling

    Source:

    C05267164

    Link:

    Internal Link:

    https://surinamepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Suriname-SITREP-Five-December-13-December-1982-C05267164.pdf

    Date:
    December 14, 1982
    Categories:
    Desi Bouterse, Foiled Coups & Plots, Planned Suriname Invasion
    Tags:
    SITREP
    Boxes:
    F-2012-32749
    Years:
    1982
    Persons:
    Desi Bouterse, Duemling, Roy Horb
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