1980 Surinamese coup d'état
1980 Surinamese coup d'état | |||||||
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Part of the Cold War | |||||||
Map of Suriname. | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Government of Suriname
Supported by:Guyana Venezuela United States |
Supported by: Brazil China Cuba Soviet Union | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Johan Ferrier Henck Arron | Dési Bouterse | ||||||
History of Suriname |
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Suriname portal |
The 1980 Surinamese coup d'état, usually referred to as the Sergeants' Coup (
Background
The Netherlands granted
Coup
On 25 February 1980, the coup soldiers took control of the military camps in Paramaribo and arrested superiors who opposed them. The main resistance occurred at the Central Police Station, which was burned to the ground. After the police surrendered, the coup leaders took control.[7] Arron was then imprisoned on charges of corruption.[8]
President
December murders and Moiwana massacre
On 8 December 1982, a group of fifteen academics, journalists, lawyers, union leaders and military officials who opposed the military rule in Suriname were snatched from their beds and brought to
In 1986 Bouterse's soldiers killed at least 39 citizens, mostly children and women, of the Maroon village of Moiwana,[12] as part of the Surinamese Interior War, which was fought between the soldiers of Bouterse and the Jungle Commando led by Ronnie Brunswijk.[13]
Transition to democratic rule
A new constitution was adopted via referendum in 1987. Bouterse remained in charge of the army, but elections were held later that year. Dissatisfied with the government, Bouterse overthrew them on 24 December 1990 during another coup. The event became popularly known as "the telephone coup."[14]
In 1991, elections returned to Suriname, and the New Front party gained 30 of the 51 parliament seats.[15] Ronald Venetiaan, a fierce opponent of Bouterse, became president. In 1996, Jules Wijdenbosch was elected as president of Suriname on behalf of Bouterse's party, the National Democratic Party (NDP). In 2000 and 2005, Ronald Venetiaan was elected as president of Suriname.[16] Dési Bouterse himself returned to power as president in 2010.[17]
National holiday
After becoming president of Suriname, Bouterse designated February 25, the anniversary of the day of the coup d'état, as a national holiday.[17] On the day of the coup, Bouterse's soldiers burned down the Central Police Station of Suriname. The remains of the building now form the Monument of the Revolution, where the wreath-laying ceremony would be held.[18]
Bouterse's party lost the 2020 election,[19] and the new government did away with the February 25 public holiday.[20]
References
- ^ "The World Factbook". cia.gov. Retrieved 13 August 2015.
- ^ "BBC News – Timeline: Suriname". bbc.co.uk. 14 September 2012. Retrieved 13 August 2015.
- ^ a b "Henck Arron (1936–2000)". Historiek (in Dutch). December 2008. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
- NPOFocus (in Dutch). Retrieved 22 June 2020.
- ^ a b c "The Kingdom Of The Netherlands In The Caribbean. Suriname 1954 – 2004: Kroniek van een illusie". Rozenberg Quarterly (in Dutch). Retrieved 22 June 2020.
- ^ Caribbean Review (1980). "The Year of the Sergeants". University of Florida. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
- JSTOR 10.1163/j.ctt1w8h0wm.
- ^ Gunson, Phil (24 January 2001). "Obituary Henck Arron". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
- ^ De Vries, Paul (15 August 1980). "President Afgezet". Limburgs Dagblad (in Dutch). p. 1 – via Delpher.
- ISBN 978-0-19-022863-7, retrieved 22 February 2023
- ^ "The Right to Life and the Right to Personal Integrity". Report on the Human Rights Situation in Suriname. Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. 5 October 1983. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
- ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
- ^ "Dutch Police arrest man on suspicion of war crimes Surinamese Interior War – News item – Public Prosecution Service". www.prosecutionservice.nl. 29 October 2021. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
- ISSN 1879-4750.
- ^ "Suriname General Election Results 1991". www.caribbeanelections.com. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
- ^ "Ronald Venetiaan: 'Ik treed terug om politieke redenen'". Dagblad Suriname (in Dutch). 16 October 2013. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
- ^ ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
- ^ "Bouterse eert plegers staatsgreep 1980". Het Parool (in Dutch). 24 February 2011. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
- ^ "Suriname's president loses election, leaves economic chaos". Reuters. 16 June 2020. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
- ^ "Dag van de Revolutie geen feestdag meer in Suriname". Noordhollands Dagblad (in Flemish). 9 February 2021. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
External links
- The Year of the Sergeants by Caribbean Review (1980)
- Wentzel, Caroline (9 June 2006). The 8-December Murders in Surinam and United States Reactions During the Early 1980s (PDF) (MA thesis). University of Leiden. Retrieved 22 February 2023.