FORMER MILITARY STRONGMAN DESI BOUTERSE'S PARTY

UNCLAS PARAMARIBO 000515

SIPDIS


SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR WHA/CAR: MSEIBEL, AND FOR INR: RCARHART

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV NS DESI BOUTERSE
SUBJECT: FORMER MILITARY STRONGMAN DESI BOUTERSE'S PARTY
NDP VOTES TO DISSOLVE SURINAME'S LARGEST OPPOSITION BLOC DUE TO
INFIGHTING OVER BOUTERSE'S QUEST FOR THE PRESIDENCY

REFS: (A) 03 PARAMARIBO 413, (B) 03 PARAMARIBO 77

Sensitive but unclassified - please handle accordingly.

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SUMMARY
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1. (U) Suriname's National Democratic Party (NDP),led by
former military strongman Desi Bouterse, voted to dissolve
the Millennium Combination, the country's largest opposition
coalition, on July 12. The move came after NDP's two
coalition partners, Democratic Alternative (DA) and KTPI,
publicly disparaged NDP's nomination of Bouterse for the
presidency in the upcoming May 2005 elections. (See Ref.
A.) The move leaves NDP in control of seven out of the
National Assembly's 51 seats, KTPI two, and Democratic
Alternative one, and will have little practical effect in
the National Assembly. End Summary.

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NDP VOTES TO DISSOLVE THE MILLENNIUM COMBINATION
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2. (U) According to newspaper reports, Suriname's National
Democratic Party (NDP),the party of former military
strongman Desi Bouterse, voted on July 12 to dissolve the
Millennium Combination (MC),the country's largest
opposition group, ahead of the May 2005 elections. Party
representatives in the National Assembly and members of the
NDP's steering group accepted the recommendation of local
representatives from various districts made in an
extraordinary meeting July 9. This decision leaves NDP in
control of seven of the National Assembly's 51 seats and
former coalition partners Democratic Alternative (DA) and
KTPI in control of one and two seats, respectively.


3. (U) The move came after leaders of DA and KTPI publicly
voiced opposition to NDP's nomination of Bouterse for the
Presidency. (See Ref. A.) In the June 30 edition of local
daily Dagblad Suriname, DA's chair Djagendre Ramkhelawan
declared that the NDP did not consult with DA and KTPI about
Bouterse's presidential candidacy. He expressed surprise
that NDP would support Bouterse as he had received an 11-
year prison sentence from a Dutch court in 2000 for
trafficking 474 kilos of cocaine and had an outstanding
Interpol arrest warrant. Ramkelawan also cited Bouterse's
involvement in the December 1982 murders of 15 prominent
community leaders, the subject of an ongoing investigation.
(See Ref. B.) If Bouterse were elected president, the
international community would isolate Suriname, he said.
KTPI chair, Willy Soemita echoed his concerns in a July 5
Radio ABC talk show.

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REACTIONS
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4. (U) When asked for his reaction, Bouterse said he
regretted NDP's decision but placed blame for the breakup of
the coalition on Ramkhelawan and Soemita. He reminded the
public that the men are seasoned politicians who knew in
advance that their actions would result in an appropriate
response by the NDP. Bouterse noted that the NDP would be
speaking later with three unnamed political parties to
explore possible alliances. NDP Secretary Ramon Abrahams
took a more diplomatic tact with his declaration that
Bouterse's nomination was not a "take it or leave it" for
the other parties in the MC while emphasizing NDP's intent
to pursue Bouterse's nomination.


5. (U) Abrahams cited results of a June poll conducted by
the respected Institute for Development Oriented Studies
(IDOS) as proof that there is growing support for the NDP.
18% of 350 respondents in Paramaribo said they would vote
for NDP, making it the largest party in Paramaribo.
Abrahams claimed that the IDOS figures indicated that
supporters of DNP 2000 led by former President Jules
Wijdenbosch, a former Bouterse ally, are returning home to
the NDP. In a similar vein, he dismissed as insignificant,
the Kankantrie movement led by NDP dissidents who are
calling on Bouterse to renounce his presidential bid.


6. (U) Another senior NDP representative, Henk Kotzebue,
tempered NDP's bravado regarding the elections. He confided
to the Embassy that within the NDP talks are being held with
Bouterse urging him to give way to NDP National Assembly
Fraction leader Jenny Geerlings-Simons. Kozebue said that,

by persuading Bouterse to abandon his quest for the
presidency, the party hopes to attract a large bloc of
uncommitted voters. (Note: The latest IDOS poll indicated
that 35.1% of respondents in Paramaribo were uncommitted.
End Note.)


7. (U) To date, neither Willy Soemita of KTPI or Djagendre
Ramkhelawan could be reached for comment. According to the
July 12 edition of local daily De Ware Tijd, it is believed
that these two political parties are in discussions with
Wijdenbosch's DNP 2000 and the new coalition A1.

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COMMENT
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8. (SBU) NDP's decision to dissolve the Millennium
Combination ten months ahead of the May 2005 elections shows
the degree to which Bouterse and his supporters are willing
to go to secure the presidency for Bouterse. Despite his
baggage (the December 1982 murders and the 11-year jail
sentence in absentia),the charismatic Bouterse remains
popular nationwide. Bouterse failed in his attempt to
control the Presidency through former President Jules
Wijdenbosch in the 1996-2000 NDP government. Tensions arose
between the two men, which resulted in Wijdenbosch finally
bolting from the NDP in 2000 to form his own party, DNP

2000. For this reason, Bouterse is not willing to make the
same mistake again. Some NDP insiders have told the Embassy
that Bouterse is intent on getting a second chance at ruling
the country since Bouterse, they claimed, had unwittingly
allowed his first attempt at governing during the 1980-1987
military regime to be hijacked by unruly elements. There
is, however, nothing in Bouterse's record since 1987 to
suggest that he has evolved from a strongman to a democrat.


9. (SBU) In a country where anything can happen, it is
still too early to tell what impact the dissolution of the
Millennium Combination will have on voters. For now at
least, the ruling New Front (NF) coalition appears to have
gained a little ground from the disbanding of the most
important opposition bloc. Still, Surinamers are
disillusioned with the Venetiaan administration's management
of the economy, the slow pace toward development and reform,
and the widespread perception that the administration has
accomplished little during its tenure. This is in spite of
stabilizing the economy, which will see a 5% growth this
year. Surinamers yearn for tangible proof of a government's
endeavors. The bridges constructed during the Wijdenbosch
administration remain a source of his continuing popularity.
While a number of development projects are reportedly in the
works, the NF coalition government may have waited too long
to deliver the goods to woo voters in the run up to the 2005
elections. End Comment.

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