She is dressed in a purple shirt with a photo of her husband on it, when Ingrid Bouterse-Waldring walks through the iron gate of their villa on Leonsberg to a group of just over a hundred supporters around ten to nine in the morning. They came after a call from the NDP to support ex-president Desi Bouterse, leader of the party. When Ingrid Bouterse greets and hugs the supporters, she tells them that Bouterse will not report to prison. Cheers are heard everywhere. “It is a political process, we know that. Why does the Netherlands withhold files? He did not receive a fair trial,” she said.
A party tent has been built near the house, music by the famous Surinamese star Papa Touwtjie plays from the speakers. A woman, decked out in a native headdress in Surinamese colors, sings and dances along. On the other side of the city, it is a lot quieter at the Santo Boma prison, where Bouterse should report at 9 a.m. A group of journalists has taken up post. Some police patrol cars drive by. No trace of Bouterse.
Bouterse and four others were finally sentenced to prison at the end of December for his role in the December murders, in which fifteen critics of his then military regime were murdered in 1982.
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Later in the morning, former soldiers Ernst Gefferie and Benny Brondenstein report together, accompanied by lawyer Irwin Kanhai. The elderly men, both wearing face masks, support each other as they enter the prison surrounded by press. Stephanus Dendoe has already registered. Iwan Dijksteel, like Bouterse, is not coming to Santo Boma.
Unknown where Bouterse is
As the morning progressed, it became increasingly clear that Bouterse indeed did not intend to report. According to his wife, he is not at home and she does not know where he is. More followers trickle in. Party leaders, including vice-chairman Ramon Abrahams, give instructions to those present. “We must focus on the upcoming elections of 2025. Bouterse remains our leader, whatever happens. He is fine where he is now,” he says enigmatically. Exploding fireworks are shot off and cheers erupt.
It is unknown where Bouterse is. It remained unclear for a long time what the Public Prosecution Service would do, it did not want to say anything about the next steps due to “strategic considerations”, according to a spokesperson. At the end of the afternoon, the Public Prosecution Service announced that it had started the investigation into Bouterse and Dijksteel.
It remains quiet
According to the government, extra safety measures would be taken on Friday, but there is no visible sign of this. It remains quiet in Paramaribo. It’s a normal working day, and the first week of school after the Christmas holidays is over. “I wouldn’t report if I were Bouterse,” says Mike Merkus, former NDP politician and former district commissioner who watches the supporters from a distance near Bouterse’s house. “Bouterse is innocent. He has said that if he lies he may go blind. And so far he reads without reading glasses, so that says enough,” Merkus smiles.
A woman wearing a hat and a purple scarf – the party colors of the NDP – laughingly says that as far as she is concerned, the Public Prosecution Service can come and get Bouterse. “The gate is open, everything is open. They can come,” she says mockingly. A group starts singing the national anthem, others join in, and after the last verse there is cheering.
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Around 1 p.m. local time, the white chairs are piled up under the marquee and most of the supporters leave. Lawyer Irwin Kanhai has now submitted a request by letter to allow the three convicts who have reported to be admitted to the infirmary for health reasons. The Public Prosecution Service has agreed to this.
Film products Eddy Wijngaarde, brother of journalist Frank Wijngaarde, one of the fifteen victims of the December murders, sees the actions of Bouterse and his party mainly as wasting time. “That is what his party and Bouterse are continuously trying to do: slow down and postpone the punishment for as long as possible. But I hope that this matter will finally come to an end.”