Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06PARAMARIBO135
2006-03-03 17:55:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Paramaribo
Cable title:  

BOUTERSE'S NDP PARLIAMENTARY FRACTION LEADER STEPS

Tags:  PGOV PREL KCRM NS 
pdf how-to read a cable
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RR RUEHGR
DE RUEHPO #0135 0621755
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 031755Z MAR 06
FM AMEMBASSY PARAMARIBO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8129
INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE
RUEHAO/AMCONSUL CURACAO 0980
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

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 The NDP has withdrawn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