BOUTERSE'S NDP PARLIAMENTARY FRACTION LEADER STEPS

UNCLAS PARAMARIBO 000135 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE DEPT FOR WHA/CAR LLUFTIG E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL KCRM NS SUBJECT: BOUTERSE'S NDP PARLIAMENTARY FRACTION LEADER STEPS DOWN REFTELS: (A) PARAMARIBO 90 (B) 05 PARAMARIBO 458 ¶1. (SBU) Summary. On February 20 Jenny Geerlings-Simons stepped down as the leader of the opposition National Democrat Party (NDP) fraction in the National Assembly (DNA),causing a political stir within her party. While her reasons were vague, political observers cite an increasing rift between Simons and those within the NDP more firmly aligned with NDP chairman, convicted narcotics trafficker, and former military dictator Desi Bouterse. End Summary. ¶2. (U) Simons had been the NDP fraction leader since 2001. After the 2005 election, she became de facto leader of loosely aligned opposition parties. Simons attributed her decision to step down to a variety of factors and said "the conditions needed to operate no longer existed." Most media attributed it to the NDP's Central Political Committee's (CPO) undermining of Simons' decision to send a NDP member with a DNA delegation to an African, Caribbean, Pacific - European Union (ACP/EU) conference in Brussels. A recent NDP press release denied this one disagreement caused Simons' resignation, but conceded that disputes over how to implement the current NDP protest of DNA business contributed to her stepping down. The NDP has withdrawn from all standing DNA committees in protest of the governing New Front Plus coalition's blockage of Bouterse's membership in the Defense Committee. (See ref A). ¶3. (SBU) The above dispute is symptomatic of a deeper rift within the NDP with some sources suggesting she was forced out the position rather than her leaving under her own volition. The popular Simons has traditionally represented the more reflective wing of the NDP, and was seen by many as an articulate, hard-working and effective opposition leader. While she has consistently stood by Bouterse, sources say that NDP hardliners loyal to Bouterse have felt her defense of him, particularly regarding his 1999 Dutch drug conviction, lacked vigor. An Embassy source said Simons was upset that she had not been put forward as the NDP's presidential candidate in the 2005 election after Bouterse withdrew his candidacy at the last minute. (See ref B). ¶4. (U) High-ranking NDP officials maintain that Simons' move does not represent a split in the party and that Simons was never reprimanded for the ACP/EU affair but asked to remain in her position. However, in the first public NDP event since Simon's resignation, the February 25 anniversary celebration of Bouterse's 1980 coup, Simons was conspicuously absent. Her successor as fraction leader is Kenneth Moenne, but some question whether he or any other NDP parliamentarian will be as effective as Simons. ¶5. (U) Editorials have praised Simons for her decision to step down. The Times of Suriname said she has showed integrity and professionalism in an otherwise unprofessional political environment. The weekly editorial Keerpunt in the De West newspaper questioned why Simons is a part of the NDP at all because she was too good for the party. Keerpunt also critized the NDP as being internally undemocratic, with only a few hardliners making every decision. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶6. (SBU) Despite being Suriname's largest single political party, the NDP is currently experiencing internal strife. As Bouterse's prosecution for the 1982 December murder case nears (See ref B),Bouterse's closest associates appear to be circling the wagons. If Bouterse wishes to use the party to advance a personal agenda leading up to his prosecution, as he did with last year's street protests, he will need to ensure a disciplined party apparatus. Simons' resignation may be the first sign that those less devoted to Bouterse are either being forced out or voluntarily distancing themselves from the Bouterse dominated party leadership. Simons and likeminded NDP members may be positioning themselves for long-term political survival by untying their political futures from Bouterse's, which would suffer during a murder trial and come to an abrupt end with a guilty verdict. BARNES