Former Surinamese soldier to face war crimes trial in The Hague

A former member of the Surinamese National Army, currently residing in Amsterdam, is scheduled to appear before a court in The Hague on Friday, October 23. The defendant, a Dutch national, faces allegations of war crimes related to the killing of multiple individuals during the Surinamese Civil War.

The charges stem from military operations conducted in mid-1987, specifically during so-called ‘cleansing actions’ in the Brokopondo district near Brownsweg. During this period, the National Army, led by Desi Bouterse, fought against Ronnie Brunswijk’s Jungle Commando. The Public Prosecutor alleges that the victims were civilians who were not participating, or were no longer participating, in the hostilities.

The investigation was initiated after the suspect reportedly made statements claiming he had killed several people in June 1987. Following these admissions, he was arrested in Amsterdam in October 2021. The trial aims to determine the individual responsibility of the former soldier for these deaths, which occurred nearly forty years ago.