December 10, 1998
With these words ex-army commander Desi Bouterse has taken on himself the responsibility of
the 15 murders of December 8 1982. In a radio interview with Amsterdam's AT-5 he stated that
he has no regrets, that it was a clear case of kill or be killed during a period of the revolution
when coups were the order of the day. He stated further that NO NORMAL MAN WHO WAS
GIVEN THE CHOICE OF HIM OR I WOULD CHOSE TO DIE. He accused Holland of
hypocrisy for their financing of the civilian war where many soldiers were killed and wanted to
know if the soldiers who had died during what he called the dirty war did not leave relatives to
mourn them too, but no one spoke of that only of December 8. When questioned about the case
that was being set up against him for drug involvement, Bouterse said that he was willing to go to
Holland to be heard. He stated that the 10.000 page law suit was nothing more than a bundle of
lies. He accused the Dutch authorities of buying witnesses and told of one that was promised a
home and political asylum if he would testify against him. He made a joke of sentencing the Dutch
Crown Prince William-Alexander to 16 years if the Dutch would do that to him to show how
rediculous he thought the case was.
President Jules Wijdenbosch's action of not wanting to hold discussions with the CLO if their
secretary-general Ronald Hooghart was to be present, has been criticized by the joint Unions that
are at present carrying out actions against the Government. The President's action was based on
the fact that Hooghart was invariably hostile and insultive towards him and his Government. The
unions have held a press conference yesterday at which they fully discussed and condemned the
President's action stating that they will soon come up with a reaction to this. According to Fred
Derby C-47 the President has broken both the rules of the international conventions and those of
the constitution of Suriname. Derby announced that a report will be sent to ILO (International
Labor Organization) about this matter. Reactions in and about Paramaribo show that some people
are of the opinion that the CLO should have been warned by the President to keep their
Secretary-General in line at the meeting instead of calling it off because of his presence.
It has been reported that there are problems in The Sanatan Dharm, Suriname's largest religious
group because Suriname's business tycoon Dilip Sardjoe and Assembly's Chairman Marijke
Djawalapersad have signed on as guardian angels for this organization. Rumors that the two
would like to fill the posts of chairman and vice chairman however have been denied by the
present chaiman Kries Nanan Panday. Panday explained that the Organization is passing through a
difficult period because there is barely any means available to keep its head above water. Because
of this some childen centers and 45 departments of this organization are about to close their
doors. Djawalapersad and Sardjoe have offerd their help and it has been accepted by the board.
This decision will be brought before the different departments to receive their blessings. Some
departments however have some fear of the mixture of religion with politics.
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