Radio Netherlands - Suriname - Witnesses: Bouterse present at political killings
Suriname - Witnesses: Bouterse present at political killings
In Suriname, a former Dutch colony, witnesses have testified before a military court that the country's former dictator Desi Bouterse was present at the killings of 15 political opponents in Fort Zeelandia in 1982. Bouterse and 24 others are being tried for the killings, known as the "December murders". The former dictator has always denied being present at the military base on the day of the murders. A former bodyguard testified to Bouterse's presence at the fort on the day in question as did a former member of a firing squad. The ex-dictator's secretary also testified that Bouterse was at the fort. Other witnesses testified to seeing Bouterse's bodyguards, hearing gunfire and seeing blood and body bags all over the place. The former army leader was not at the trial, which is expected to last for several months.
Bouterse seized power in a military coup in 1980 and stepped down in 1987. He briefly seized power again in 1991. In 1999, he was convicted in absentia for cocaine smuggling by the Netherlands. However, he has remained at liberty as Suriname does not extradite its citizens.
Labels: Desi Bouterse, Suriname
