Threatens to take international steps

The opposition has made it clear that it will take international steps if the appointment of Jennifer van Dijk-Silos as chairwoman of the Independent Election Office (OKB) is not cancelled. The first step will be to summon all political parties in Suriname and to convince them to write a letter of protest, asking President Desi Bouterse to rethink his decision. It is almost certain that the coalition will not support these steps.

Opposition leader Paul Somohardjo from Pertjajah Luhur (PL) explained that it is unacceptable for the president to place a loyal supporter of his party who also has ties to the presidential office at a sensitive position. “There are thousands of others in Suriname. Let’s all get the feeling that the elections will be fair. We believe that the 2015 elections were unfair. Fraudulent acts were possibly committed. The next elections are ahead of us and now we are stuck again with the same person,” said Somohardjo. After the results of the general elections of 2015 were announced several political parties that are currently in the opposition expressed their suspicions. Somohardjo was puzzled by the results from the districts Para and Paramaribo. The ABOP and the VHP have also criticized the decision to appoint Van Dijk-Silos.

The VHP pointed out that she has recently created controversy in her political career. The VHP will not judge her character but only her performance. Besides being the chairwoman of the OKB, Van Dijk-Silos was also part time legal advisor of President Bouterse. She was later appointed minister of Justice and Police. After she was dismissed as minister, she was appointed special representative (legal consultant and legal advisor) of the president. “It is very important for her to prove that she can operate independently. It is important for the new chairwoman to show that there is no conflict of interest and that she will not be influenced in her new position,” said the VHP in a press release.