Country of northeast South America (also Suriname)

A republic in northeastern South America on the Atlantic; Also called: Surinam, Dutch Guiana, Netherlands Guiana.
Country on the N coast of South America, bounded W by French Guiana, S by Brazil, E by Guyana, and N by the Atlantic Ocean.
government
The constitution was suspended 1980, and in 1982 an interim president took office as head of state, with ultimate power held by the army through its commander in chief who is also chair of the Supreme Council, the country's controlling group. A nominated 31-member national assembly was established Jan 1985, consisting of 14 military, 11 labor union, and 6 business nominees. It was given 27 months in which to prepare a new constitution.
history
For early history, see Native American, South America. Founded as a colony by the English 1650, Suriname became Dutch 1667. In 1954, as Dutch Guiana, it was made an equal member of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, with internal self-government. Full independence was achieved 1975, with Dr Johan Ferrier as president and Henck Arron, leader of the Suriname National Party (NPS), as prime minister.
military coup
In 1980 Arron's government was overthrown in an army coup, but President Ferrier refused to recognize the military regime and appointed Dr Henk Chin A Sen, of the Nationalist Republican Party, to head a civilian administration. Five months later the army staged another coup, and President Ferrier was replaced by Dr Chin A Sen. The new president announced details of a draft constitution that would reduce the army's role in government, whereupon the army, led by Lt Col Desi Bouterse, dismissed Dr Chin A Sen and set up the Revolutionary People's Front.
instability
There followed months of confusion in which a state of siege and then martial law were imposed. From Feb 1980 to Jan 1983 there were six attempted coups by different army groups. Because of the chaos and killings of opposition leaders, Netherlands and US aid was stopped, and Bouterse turned to Libya and Cuba for assistance. The partnership between the army, the labor unions, and business, which had operated since 1981, broke up 1985, and Bouterse turned to the traditional parties that had operated before the 1980 coup: the NPS, the left-wing Indian Progressive Reform Party (VHP), and the Indonesian Party for National Unity and Solidarity (KTPI). The ban on political activity was lifted, and leaders of the three main parties were invited to take seats on the Supreme Council, with Wym Udenhout as prime minister. The Nov 1987 election was won by the three-party Front for Democracy and Development (FDD) and Ramsewak Shankar was elected president of the national assembly. In March 1989 a new constitution was appro
ved prior to an election in Nov.
A bloody coup by the army Dec 1990 removed President Shankar, Bouterse denying any involvement. In Jan 1991 the assembly elected Johan Kraag as caretaker president. In national elections held May 1991 the New Front for Democracy (NF) won 29 seats in the 51-seat National Assembly. Ronald Venetiaan was elected president in Sept. In Aug 1992 the government reached an agreement with the two largest guerrilla groups, the Surinamese Liberation Army and the Tucayana Amazonas, to end hostilities. + prikaži više