‘Everything showed that Bouterse had a lot of love for the country’

Today everyone weighs their words in the Surinamese Christian Wi Eegi Kerki in Amsterdam-Zuidoost. It is Christmas Day, a few hours after the confirmation of the death of Desi Bouterse, who evokes strong feelings within the Surinamese community both in life and in death.

During the service in the modern building, religious songs are played in Dutch and Sranantongo. In addition to a sermon about the birth of Jesus, attention is paid to current topics, such as the war in Palestine and the attack on the Christmas market in Magdeburg. The name of the former president of Suriname is not mentioned.

Martin Heyde (76), dressed in a smart blazer and tie, is just about to leave. “I don’t have very strong political opinions,” he says. “My hope is that Bouterse may rest in peace.”

Murder must be condemned at all times, Heyde emphasizes, but Bouterse’s good deeds should also be mentioned, he believes. For example, he mentions the development of Staatsolie, Suriname’s national oil company, which contributed to the country’s economic independence. “Everything showed that Bouterse had a lot of love for the country,” he says. “That should not be underestimated. Many people will be in deep mourning at this time.”

Justice

Bouterse was convicted in December 2023 for his role in the December murders of 1982, in which fifteen of his political opponents were killed. The conviction came after years of legal proceedings and was seen as an important step in the pursuit of justice for the victims and their families.

Talita Keerveld (69), dressed in a bright red outfit for the Christmas atmosphere, “didn’t really” follow the denouement of the trial last year. “I have wondered for so long: why were other people involved punished, but Bouterse not?” When he was eventually sentenced to prison, she notes, they built a separate cell for him. “That’s not a prison, is it?”

Keerveld came from Suriname to the Netherlands in 1979, one year before Bouterse committed the coup. She prefers not to talk about the December murders of 1982, “because I was not there.” She calls what happened terrible. “But I always say: ‘Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.’ Everyone makes mistakes in this life – big or small.” Keerveld notices that it is often about the negative sides of Bouterse’s legacy. She thinks it is important to also pay attention to the other side of the story: Bouterse was someone who brought people together and was committed to the development of Suriname.

Not the right time

In the Surinamese Christian King’s Church, five kilometers away, the wooden benches are now empty again. Everyone started celebrating Christmas at home, says pastor Clifton Walker (52). One of the last people present does not think this is the right time to talk about Bouterse. “There are so many things going on in Suriname. But only when it comes to Bouterse do journalists come along,” says the lady.

Her reaction shows the sensitivity of the subject, says Walker, who has a small gray beard and a friendly demeanor. “People don’t like to talk about it.” His death was not discussed in this morning’s church service.

“Bouterse is always portrayed as the December killer,” says the preacher. He certainly does not want to trivialize those murders, but history, he emphasizes, must also be seen in its context. “Who formed Bouterse? Who taught him how to stage a coup? Bouterse was led by Colonel Valk, who went to Suriname on behalf of the Dutch government, to instruct him in committing a coup against the rulers at the time.” The tide turned when Bouterse “no longer wanted to dance to the tune of the Netherlands,” Walker thinks. “Then they wanted to convict him. But in the end, the Netherlands made him who he was.”

According to Walker, Bouterse taught Surinamese people to be nationalistic and to break away from the Netherlands. He worked hard to make livestock, agriculture, forestry and fishing healthy sectors. “He was a fierce fighter against colonialism.” He was a man of the people, Walker says. “He was close to the people.”

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