By Ivan Cairo
Caribbean Net News Suriname Correspondent
Email: ivan@caribbeannetnews.com

PARAMARIBO, Suriname: The National Democratic Party (NDP), Suriname’s main opposition party, is calling for amnesty for the 1982 massacre of 15 opponents by the then ruling military dictatorship. The party’s chairman and former army chief, Desi Bouterse, is the main suspect in the murder trial scheduled to start in the near future.

Surinam's former dictator Desi Bouterse. AFP PHOTO

The NDP faction submitted a controversial bill to parliament Monday to amend an existing law that granted amnesty for crimes committed during the armed conflict from 1985-1992. NDP officials’ claim that since the military coup on February 25, 1980, led by Bouterse, had a significant socio-political impact on the country, amnesty should be granted starting from 1980.

“Within the framework of peace, national unity and development of the Republic of Suriname it is essential that the Amnesty Act is not applied only on a selective part of the 80s,” the party claims in the draft of the proposed bill. The party is championing a Truth Commission to resolve this matter.

The National Assembly, the country’s parliament, initially will debate the bill Thursday in a closed-door session and possibly proceed to a public debate.

Speaker of the House and member of the incumbent New Front coalition, Paul Somohardjo, virtually broke ranks with the rest of the coalition when he suggested amnesty for the perpetrators of the so-called ‘December murders’. He emphasised however that a decision in this specific case should be taken by referendum. Somohardjo argues that, if suspects know upfront that they won’t go to jail, they would be eager to reveal the truth rather than before a criminal court.

The New Front coalition, including Somohardjo’s party, Pertjajah Luhur, came into office during the 2000 and 2005 general elections on a manifesto in which investigation, prosecution and sentencing in the ‘December murders’ case was promised to the electorate.

“The Pertjajah Luhur is of the opinion that a decision on a possible amnesty after a process of investigation and prosecution should not be taken by the National Assembly, but by the Surinamese people in a referendum,” Somohardjo’s party said in a statement released Tuesday.

The speaker came under fire recently from within his own coalition ranks. According to coalition members he is championing amnesty due to mere opportunistic political reasons in a possible bid to join the NDP if the coalition splits up.

In his defence, Somohardjo argued however that his party in the past has always been for a referendum when issues concerning amnesty were being tabled. He noted that when in 1980 the then parliament voted for amnesty for the military coup leaders his party walked out and didn’t vote.

“Since then we argued that amnesty is too serious a matter to be decided by a limited number of people. Our standpoint is that the whole nation should speak out through a referendum,” Somohardjo said.

Meanwhile the Court of Justice is to rule on the motions from several suspects, challenging their prosecution. The ruling is expected within a few weeks, opening the way for the Public Prosecutor to set a date for the trial.

Since most of the suspects are army officers or former army officers, the more than 23 suspects, including civilians and politicians, will stand trial before a military court. The authorities have commissioned a special building on a military base to hold the trial. The process will take place under very tight security measures.

Fifteen union leaders, lawyers, journalists, businessmen and university professors were tortured and subsequently executed on December 8, 1982. They were accused of conspiring to overthrow the then ruling military government led by army commander Bouterse.

Investigations into the murders started in 2000 after surviving relatives of the victims submitted a request to the Court of Justice which eventually instructed the Public Prosecutor launch an investigation.