On Friday morning, about a thousand demonstrators from various places in Paramaribo went to the National Assembly of Suriname, the parliament. It was an announced protest against the government of President Chan Santokhi, organized by, among others, the trade unions and activist Stephano Biervliet.
It started peacefully, but around noon the atmosphere on Independence Square turned grim. Some of the demonstrators threw bottles and stones and demanded that politicians come out. Warning shots were fired and tear gas was sprayed. Most of the demonstrators retreated, but a small group stormed parliament. They penetrated into the hall. In the center of Paramaribo, groups confronted the police and mobile unit and looted shops. Journalists and a radio station were also attacked. The government has imposed a curfew and has made more than 50 arrests.
1 Why was demonstration?
It has been restless in Suriname for some time. This is largely due to the poor economic situation. Inflation is high. Last year 54.6 percent according to the central bank. The country has a loan from the IMF, but in return it must get its public finances in order and, among other things, cut the expanded civil service. That is extremely difficult, as a result of which several trances from the IMF have not been paid out.
Now several reforms are being rushed through at the same time, which affect people directly. For example, VAT was introduced for the first time in January, although not on basic needs. At the same time, the government is gradually phasing out fuel subsidies. The latter in particular is wrong. Because there is no extensive public transport network in Suriname, people depend on their car. In addition, rising fuel costs may further push up other prices.
The anger over this comes on top of the general frustration with the Santokhi government. The former police chief was elected in 2020. He took over a country that was financially broke in the middle of the corona pandemic. Santokhi campaigned with a promise to tackle corruption, but friends and relatives of politicians have also been appointed to important places under his leadership. Recently, for example, the younger brother of Vice President Ronnie Brunswijk was given a high position at the state-owned energy company in Suriname. This week, the small National Party of Suriname left the coalition government.
Read also: Downtown Paramaribo closed after protest against the government that degenerated into riots and looting
2 Is this storming of parliament comparable to the one in America in early 2021 and last month in Brazil?
It doesn’t look like that. Behind the protests and dissatisfaction in Suriname there is no broad anti-democratic movement that disputes election results and undermines institutions. All political parties have denounced the violence. The slogan of the demonstration was ‘Chan must go’, but that is not unusual. The rioters may have been inspired by foreign examples.
“It is vandalism that has gotten out of hand,” says Surinamese journalist Wilfred Leeuwin, who lives in Paramaribo. “A social eruption, which has been fueled by both the current and the previous government.” According to him, an agreement with the US and Brazil is that society has become increasingly polarized.
In his response on Friday evening, President Santokhi emphasized the need to defend democracy and the rule of law. It bothers Leeuwin that the government pretends that the economic problems have nothing to do with the unrest. “You cannot squeeze a society like a tube of toothpaste.”
3 How’s it going?
It remained restless for a long time in the night from Friday to Saturday. The damage will be assessed on Saturday. It is greatest at looted shops and gas stations. A number of law enforcement officers and shopkeepers were injured and are now in hospital.
Santokhi, former police chief and former justice minister, has set up a ‘task force’ to track down the perpetrators. More than 50 arrests have already been made.
It is exciting to see whether the unrest has an effect on the government’s reform agenda and stability. The opposition to the cuts already comes partly from the coalition. Santokhi rules together with, among others, Ronnie Brunswijk’s party, which represents disadvantaged groups and opposes price increases and layoffs.
Also read this analysis from 2022: Santokhi bows, but the crisis in Suriname is not over