Lawyer Wants a Reward to Be Offered Leading to the Capture of Former Suriname President Desi Bouterse

PARAMARIBO, Suriname – The lawyer representing the relatives of the 15 people killed on December 8, 1982, is calling on Suriname's government to offer a reward leading to the arrest of former president Desi Bouterse, who had been convicted of the crime, but has since gone missing.

Relatives, diplomats and friends lay flowers at the Bastion Veere monument on Sunday marking the 42nd anniversary of the December 8, 1982 massacre,In his open letter to President Chandrikapersad “Chan” Santokhi, the attorney, Hugo Essed, said he is requesting that everything be done to ensure that all those convicted of the crime be captured and jailed in accordance with the court ruling.

In 2017, Bouterse along with 23 co-defendants appeared in the military court after the Court of Justice had earlier rejected a motion to stop the trial. The former military officers and civilians had been charged with the December 8, 1982 murders of the 15 men that included journalists, military officers, union leaders, lawyers, businessmen and university lecturers.

The prosecution had alleged that the men were arrested on the nights of December 7 and 8 and transferred to Fort Zeelandia, the then headquarters of the Surinamese National Army. They said the men were tortured and summarily executed.

Three of the co-convicted retired soldiers, Ernst Gefferie, 81, Stephanus Dendoe, 68 and Benny Brondenstein, 68, have all reported to prison.

But the whereabouts of Bouterse remains a mystery and the International Police (INTERPOL) has placed him on its Red Notice list.

Bouterse’s bodyguard, Iwan Dijksteel, has also not reported to the prison to begin serving his 15-year sentence.

The crime scene in Fort Zeelandia has since been renamed the National Monument Bastion Veere – December 8, 1982, with bullet holes in the walls as silent witnesses and on Sunday, 42 years later, relatves and other people placed flowers at the memorial

In his letter, Essed said a reward should be offered to anyone who provides a tip that leads to the arrest of Bouterse and Dijksteel saying that not much is being done track down and arrest them.

The letter to President Santokhi asks for appropriate compensation for the relatives of those killed with Essed argued that compensation is not being demanded out of greed, as many claim on Facebook, but it is a right that is part of the jurisprudence.

Essed said that there has been contact with a government representative on the matter and that if an agreement cannot be reached he is prepared to take the matter to court.

He said it would be best if a mutual settlement is reached, because it would be a disgrace for the State to be taken to court.

Last week, four organisations, including the trade union grouping, Trade Union C-47  and the Organization for Justice and Peace Wednesday called on President Chandrikapersad “Chan” Santokhi to do everything possible to ensure that those convicted of the murders of 15 men on December 8, 1982,  be detained as soon as possible.

In an open letter to Santokhi, the organisations, including Foundation 8 December 1982, said after years of struggle, the court on December, 20, last year sentenced those responsible for the killings to jail.