VZCZCXRO3042
PP RUEHAO
DE RUEHPO #0617/01 3381122
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 041122Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY PARAMARIBO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9834
INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 1505
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 1638
RUEHAO/AMCONSUL CURACAO 1204

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PARAMARIBO 000617 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
WHA/CAR FOR JACKIE ROSHOLT, INR FOR BOB CARHART, WHA/PPC 
FOR MIKE BORDERS, POL/AD FOR LAMSELEM, BRASILIA FOR DATT 
BBUTCHER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/03/2017 
TAGS: PGOV ASIC PREL SNAR NS
SUBJECT: JUSTICE MINISTER TALKS PRIVATELY ABOUT STRIKES, 
THREATS, POLITICS, AND THE "DECEMBER MURDERS TRIAL" IN 
SURINAME 
 
REF: PARAMARIBO 609 
 
Classified By: Ambassador in accordance with E.O. 12958 
 
¶1.  (U)  From Ambassador Lisa Bobbie Schreiber Hughes. 
 
¶2.  (C)  In response to my telephone request, Justice and 
Police Minister Chandrikapersad Santokhi invited me and my 
RSO, Doug Marvin, to attend his November 29 meeting with 
Dutch Ambassador Tanya van Gool and her political officer to 
discuss possible threats to public order occasioned by the 
November 30 start of the December Murders "process" (the 
trial of Desi Bouterse and 24 co-defendants for the December 
8, 1982 murder of fifteen political opponents).  Both we and 
the Dutch had requested meetings out of concern for the 
safety and security of our citizens given recent events in 
Paramaribo. 
 
¶3.  (C)  The week began with Desi Bouterse,s flamboyant and 
incendiary public rally on November 26 at his NDP party 
headquarters.  Among other accusations, Bouterse said 
Minister Santhoki was trying to kill him.  The next day, the 
bus drivers went on strike, followed by strike threats by the 
teachers, union.  Minister Santokhi struck back on November 
28, telling journalists that Bouterse and the NDP have plans 
for "grand scale destabilization," including attacks on 
prominent law enforcement officials (especially Santokhi 
himself).  Although all this rhetoric appears on the surface 
to be occasioned by Bouterse,s desire to disrupt the 
November 30 start of the trial, Minister Santokhi and 
Attorney General Subhas Punwasi (both present at the meeting) 
emphasized that Bouterse and his NDP have a larger goal: to 
overthrow the government. 
 
¶4.  (C)  In our November 29 meeting, Santokhi told us that 
the GOS has a robust plan in place to protect public order 
from NDP attempts to destabilize the country.  Executing the 
plan jointly are Chief of Police Delano Braam, Chief of the 
Armed Forces Col. Ernst Mercuur, and the Central Intelligence 
and Security Agency (CIVD; Col. Johan Ceder).  Santokhi 
confirmed that he is a primary target, and his security is 
tight.  The police have already arrested criminal elements, 
backed by Bouterse, with plans to kill Santokhi.  These 
criminals were arrested on drug charges only (there is no law 
against conspiracy to assassinate a Minister; only the 
President or Acting President).  Santokhi said that part of 
Bouterse,s strategy is to accuse Santokhi of trying to kill 
him so that if "something" were to happen to Santokhi, the 
action would be seen as "justified".  This, he said, was a 
similar strategy to that employed by Bouterse and his regime 
in the 1980,s.  He said that many "older politicians" see 
the situation now (strident rhetoric, strikes, threats) as 
reminiscent of the 1980s.  Some newspapers have echoed this 
sentiment. 
 
¶5.  (C)  Americans are not targets, and in response to my 
direct question, the Minister did not see the need for us to 
change our daily routines, turn away TDY visitors, or avoid 
travel in the interior.  Both the Minister and AG Punwasi 
noted that Bouterse blames Holland for his troubles, but 
never the Americans, French, or other Europeans (note: others 
listening to Bouterse,s rhetoric would refute this, as he 
referred to interference in Suriname from those in "foreign 
capitals").  Ominously, Santokhi noted that if/when there is 
a catalyzing event (e.g., if Bouterse were to be convicted), 
then intelligence indicates that the Dutch ("white people") 
would be targeted.  I responded that many AmCits could be 
mistaken for Dutch citizens.  Bottom line: in the absence of 
a catalyzing event, I inferred no direct threat to 
foreigners: Dutch, Americans, or others. 
 
¶6.  (C)  Of greater concern now is whether Bouterse 
supporters, attempts at public disruption through strikes 
and other means are sufficient to stir up enough public 
discontent to create violence.  Currently, this is far from 
the case.  Except for the absence of (mini) buses, Paramaribo 
is functioning normally.  However, Santokhi confirmed that 
all unions under the NDP-aligned "Moederbond" are expected to 
eventually strike.  For example, he knows that three of the 
seven unions in his Justice and Police Ministry are planning 
to strike.  They are the penitentiary workers, the fire 
brigade, and the BBS (security at government buildings).  The 
GOS is taking the current strikes, and the threat of 
additional strikes, very seriously by taking preemptive steps 
 
PARAMARIBO 00000617  002 OF 002 
 
 
to eliminate reasons for strikers, discontent.  For example, 
the GOS has given money and chits for medical care directly 
to members of the armed forces, enough to last through 
February, 2008.  In the case of striking bus drivers and 
teachers, the Ministers of Transportation and Education are 
negotiating, aided by teams of fellow Ministers.  Santokhi 
said that no Minister negotiates alone; and all negotiation 
decisions must be taken to the Council of Ministers. 
 
¶7.  (C)  Minister Santokhi expressed satisfaction that, to 
date, the public has not supported the protesters.  Both he 
and the AG emphasized that, when the public understands the 
political objectives behind the strikes (i.e., to create 
unrest), there is no support.  That said, and despite the 
robust security measures that Santokhi touted at the 
beginning of our meeting, both the Minister and AG Punwasi 
still expressed concern about the eventuality of unrest and 
violence, possibly including assassinations.  Santokhi said 
the GOS has hard evidence that (NDP Parliamentarian) Mohamed 
Doekhie is recruiting criminal elements in Guyana to 
destabilize and overthrow the government, and that Bouterse 
claims he will take over "before the end of the year".  They 
asked for "advice and assistance" from the Dutch and 
ourselves, presumably in the event the government is in 
jeopardy. 
 
¶8.  (C)  COMMENT:  Although the worst-case scenario posited 
by Santokhi and Punwasi is chilling, it is also premature. 
Although the trial began today (November 30), Santokhi and 
Punwasi told us that they don,t expect much action until 
January or February (if that soon).  Clearly, if Bouterse is 
convicted (the catalyzing event), it will not happen in the 
short term.  Also unknown is the depth and strength of 
support for Bouterse, and how many true followers he can 
muster.  Currently, our best security advice is to maintain 
enhanced "situational awareness" and to "avoid the areas of 
demonstrations and to exercise caution in the vicinity of any 
demonstrations," as our November 30 Warden Message notes. 
END COMMENT 
GENTON