The 1980 Military Coup on Political Stability and Governance in the Region

On February 25, 1980, a significant military coup took place in Suriname, resulting in the overthrow of Prime Minister Henck Arron's government. This coup was orchestrated by a faction of 16 sergeants, prominently led by Dési Bouterse. The coup marked the beginning of a military regime that faced considerable opposition. Throughout the following years, several counter-coup attempts were made against Bouterse's regime, notably in April 1980, August 1980, March 15, 1981, and March 12, 1982. The first counter-coup was led by Fred Ormskerk, while the second was organized by Marxist-Leninist groups. The third attempt was spearheaded by Wilfred Hawker, and the fourth by Surendre Rambocus. Notably, during the fourth counter-coup attempt, Hawker managed to escape from prison but was later recaptured and executed. A particularly dark chapter occurred on December 7, 1982, when Bouterse's military rounded up 13 prominent critics of the regime, detaining them at Fort Zeelandia. This event underscored the oppressive nature of the military dictatorship and the lengths to which it would go to silence dissent. #Mooflife #MomentOfLife #Suriname #MilitaryCoup #DésiBouterse #Counter-coup #PoliticalHistory