Suriname opposition protests alleged election irregularities
by Ivan Cairo
Caribbean Net News Suriname Correspondent
Monday, May 30, 2005
PARAMARIBO, Suriname: Opposition parties in
Suriname protested Friday against alleged irregularities in the general
elections held on Wednesday, May 25. They are reportedly worried about the
fact that, in polling districts where counting of ballots was already
finished, the preliminary results were not made public.
Some one thousand supporters of three
parties, NDP, VVV and A1-combination, held a demonstration Friday afternoon at
the Main Election Office (CHS) and pressed for some clarity from the
authorities.
According to party officials, serious
irregularities were registered on election day and by sounding the alarm they
want to prevent possible fraud. CHS-chairman Lothar Boksteen told reporters he
has no indication whatsoever that the outgoing coalition is trying to commit
fraud with the results of the elections.
Outgoing New Front coalition of President
Ronald Venetiaan secured 24 seats in parliament, down 9 from the previously
held 33 seats, NDP won 15 seats, VVV got 5, newcomer A-Combination secured 5
seats and the A1-combination won 2. Boksteen noted that also he is not pleased
about the slowness of the process but so far there is no need to worry.
According to VVV leader former president Jules Wijdenbosch there were too many
serious issues that could taint the elections. The former president warned
government two years ago to do its utmost in organizing the election.
In an interview with Caribbean Net News,
he said, the elections were organized by ‘amateurs’. “The number of seats is
not important at the moment,” he stated, “But the name that Suriname has in
regard with organizing free and fair elections.” The VVV has submitted a
request to the Independent Electoral Bureau (OKB), which oversees the
elections, to investigate their complaints.
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