Suriname - 2000 General Election
In May 1999, after mass demonstrations protesting poor economic conditions, the government was forced to call early elections. The elections in May 2000 returned Ronald Venetiaan and his New Front coalition to the presidency. The NF based its campaign on a platform to fix the faltering Surinamese economy.
After over a decade of predominantly military rule, Suriname installed a freely elected Parliament and inaugurated a democratically chosen president in 1991. After free and fair elections in May 2000, the new 51-member National Assembly elected Ronald Venetiaan of the National Party of Suriname (NPS) as President in August with the necessary two-thirds majority required by the Constitution; he replaced Jules Wijdenbosch of the National Democratic Party (NDP). Venetiaan had previously served as President in 1991–96.
The first Venetiaan Government had reformed the military in 1995–96 by purging military officers and supporters of former dic tator Desi Bouterse, who ruled the country in the 1980's. Although in the May elec tions Bouterse's party won 10 seats in the National Assembly, 1 of which he occu pies, the party's influence within the military has declined steadily. Members of the security forces continue to commit some human rights abuses. The economy depends heavily on the export of bauxite derivatives. Unregulated gold mining is an increasingly important economic activity that highlights a lack of land rights for indigenous and tribal people, and it has a serious environmental im pact. The Government and state-owned companies employ over half the working population.
The two daily newspapers, five television stations, and most of the radio are owned privately. Two television stations and two radio stations are own licly. Four companies provide cable television, which includes internet. Two companies, one private and one public, offer unrestricted access to electronic media.
The parliamentary and extraparliamentary opposition criticize the Government freely. Some media members continue to practice some self-censorship because of the history of intimidation and reprisals by certain elements of the former military leadership. The Wijdenbosch Government publicly reprimanded radio stations and news papers for their negative coverage of protest demonstrations that took place in May 1999. Although the Government threatened to censor the press, it ultimately took no action, and there continued to be reports unfavorable to the Government. In April one of the two daily newspapers, De West, was firebombed one night. At year's end, the incident remained under investigation. On July 24, a group of Bouterse supporters harassed and attempted to beat a journalist outside the National Assembly. The journalist was known to be critical of Bouterse, and the attack took place the first day Bouterse occupied his new seat in the Assembly. The police intervened, but the Bouterse supporters threatened to find the journalist anywhere in the country.
The Constitution provides for freedom of assembly, and the Government generally respects this right in practice. However, in response to a series of public demonstrations in May 1999, the Govern ment announced that it intended to begin enforcing a 1930's law requiring a permit to hold a public demonstration or gathering. After the announcement, in late July 1999, the authorities detained two opposition leaders for demonstrating without a permit but quickly released them. Subsequent public marches were allowed to pro ceed without permits. The Constitution provides for freedom of association, and the Government respects this right in practice.
The Constitution provides for this right, but in the past the military prevented its effective exercise. Although the military twice has transferred power to elected civilian governments following coups, 2000 marked the second time since independ ence from the Netherlands in 1975 that one elected government succeeded another in accordance with constitutional provisions. The Government is still in the process of institutionalizing democratic, constitutional rule. The Constitution stipulates that power and authority rest with the citizens and rovides for the right to change the government through the direct election by secret # of a National Assembly of 51 members every 5 years. The National Assembly then elects the President by a two-thirds vote.
If the legislature is unable to do so, as was the case both in the 1991 and 1996 national elections, the Constitution pro vides that a national people's assembly, composed of Members of Parliament and regional and local officials, shall elect the President. The Constitution provides for the organization and functioning of political parties. Many parties and political coalitions are represented in the National Assembly. After t'. May elections, President Venetiaan formed a cabinet from members of the New Front coalition, comprised of the NPS, a predominantly Creole party; the Pro gressive Reform Party, a predominantly Hindustani party; the Suriname Labor Party, a political wing of the largest labor union; and Pertjaja Luhur, a predomi nantly Javanese party.
There are historical and cultural impediments to equal participation by women in leadership positions in government and political parties, and they are underrep resented in government and politics. In the past, most women were expected to ful fill the roles of housewife and mother, thereby limiting opportunities to gain polit ical experience or position. Participation by women in politics (and other fields) gen erally was considered inappropriate. While women have made limited gains in at taining political power in recent years, political circles remain under the influence of traditional male-dominated groups, and women are disadvantaged in seeking high public office. In the May elections, voters elected nine women to the National Assembly, compared with six who held seats in the previous assembly, and the Assembly appointed a woman as vice chairperson.
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