Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06PARAMARIBO285
2006-05-16 15:25:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Paramaribo
Cable title:
BOUTERSE ADMITS TRAVELING TO GUYANA DESPITE INTERNATIONAL
how-toVZCZCXRO6475 RR RUEHGR DE RUEHPO #0285 1361525 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 161525Z MAY 06 FM AMEMBASSY PARAMARIBO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8321 INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE RUEHAO/AMCONSUL CURACAO 1028 RUEHTC/AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE 1544 RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 1549
UNCLAS PARAMARIBO 000285
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
DEPT FOR WHA/CAR - LLUFTIG
CARACAS FOR LEGATT
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KCRM SNAR PGOV PREL NS
SUBJECT: BOUTERSE ADMITS TRAVELING TO GUYANA DESPITE INTERNATIONAL
WARRANT FOR HIS ARREST
Reftel: PARAMARIBO 284
UNCLAS PARAMARIBO 000285
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
DEPT FOR WHA/CAR - LLUFTIG
CARACAS FOR LEGATT
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KCRM SNAR PGOV PREL NS
SUBJECT: BOUTERSE ADMITS TRAVELING TO GUYANA DESPITE INTERNATIONAL
WARRANT FOR HIS ARREST
Reftel: PARAMARIBO 284
1. (SBU) Desi Bouterse, former military dictator and current
opposition party chairman, disclosed to journalists on May
13 that he recently made a trip to neighboring Guyana. The
trip was made despite an outstanding Interpol warrant for
his arrest issued after he was convicted in 1999 by a Dutch
Court for narcotics trafficking. He mentioned his trip to
explain why he had not yet visited the affected areas of
recent heavy flooding in Suriname's interior. (See reftel).
2. (SBU) Even though the Interpol warrant against him should
keep him confined to Suriname, Bouterse tersely said that he
does not worry about being arrested and that he travels to
Guyana and Brazil often, but keeps his travels quiet so as
not to cause problems for "friends." Bouterse said that he
was in Guyana to discuss matters of national security, but
declined to make any further comments. To our knowledge,
this was the first time that Bouterse explicitly admitted to
leaving Suriname since his conviction.
3. (SBU) Bouterse said that he will go to the interior this
week and likely stay for two weeks to assess the situation
and offer his help. Bouterse's party, the NDP, is the
biggest single political party in Suriname and his
constituency includes a large part of the population in the
disaster area. In the May 2005 elections, the NDP won four
of its 15 Parliament seats from voters in the interior.
LEONARD
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
DEPT FOR WHA/CAR - LLUFTIG
CARACAS FOR LEGATT
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KCRM SNAR PGOV PREL NS
SUBJECT: BOUTERSE ADMITS TRAVELING TO GUYANA DESPITE INTERNATIONAL
WARRANT FOR HIS ARREST
Reftel: PARAMARIBO 284
1. (SBU) Desi Bouterse, former military dictator and current
opposition party chairman, disclosed to journalists on May
13 that he recently made a trip to neighboring Guyana. The
trip was made despite an outstanding Interpol warrant for
his arrest issued after he was convicted in 1999 by a Dutch
Court for narcotics trafficking. He mentioned his trip to
explain why he had not yet visited the affected areas of
recent heavy flooding in Suriname's interior. (See reftel).
2. (SBU) Even though the Interpol warrant against him should
keep him confined to Suriname, Bouterse tersely said that he
does not worry about being arrested and that he travels to
Guyana and Brazil often, but keeps his travels quiet so as
not to cause problems for "friends." Bouterse said that he
was in Guyana to discuss matters of national security, but
declined to make any further comments. To our knowledge,
this was the first time that Bouterse explicitly admitted to
leaving Suriname since his conviction.
3. (SBU) Bouterse said that he will go to the interior this
week and likely stay for two weeks to assess the situation
and offer his help. Bouterse's party, the NDP, is the
biggest single political party in Suriname and his
constituency includes a large part of the population in the
disaster area. In the May 2005 elections, the NDP won four
of its 15 Parliament seats from voters in the interior.
LEONARD