WRITTEN QUESTION No. 4163/97 by Leonie van BLADEL to the Council. Measures in the event of EU citizens being taken hostage by Suriname
2. 10. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 304/11 (98/C 304/15) WRITTEN QUESTION E-4161/97 by Leonie van Bladel (UPE) to the Council (22 January 1998) Subject: Concern about the possibility of EU citizens being taken hostage by Suriname Is the Council aware of the arrest of 27 civilians and military personnel on 25 October 1997 in Suriname in 1. response to the planning of an alleged coup? 2. Is the Council aware that it has now become known, inter alia through information from the human rights organization Moiwana 86í, that a large number of those arrested and alleged to be involved in the planning of the coup of 25 October 1997 have been seriously abused? Does the Council realize that through the serious abuse or torture of the detainees it is easy to obtain 3. statements whereby foreigners, including Dutch nationals, can be accused of responsibility for the planning of the coup of 25 October 1997? 4. Is the Council not afraid that the statements by the Suriname state councillor Desi Bouterse, concerning the involvement of foreign powers including the Netherlands, in the planning of the alleged coup and the threats made by Bouterse in the media to foreign powers, including the Netherlands will ultimately lead to the arrest or hostage-taking of foreign citizens, including Dutch nationals, on the grounds that they were allegedly involved in planning the coup, based on statements from tortured detainees on the involvement of these foreigners, including Dutch nationals, in the planning of this coup? Has the Council prepared as effectively as possible to be able to take successful action if the above situation 5. becomes a reality as a result of the actions of the Suriname authorities? (98/C 304/16) WRITTEN QUESTION E-4162/97 by Leonie van Bladel (UPE) to the Council (22 January 1998) Subject: Concern about the human rights situation in Suriname Is the Council aware of the arrest of 27 civilians and military personnel on 25 October 1997 in Suriname in 1. response to the planning of an alleged coup? 2. Is the Council prepared to disclaim the action of the Netherlands Minister for Foreign Affairs who gave the order to hand over to the Suriname judicial authorities one of the alleged suspects who came to the Netherlands embassy in his underwear to apply for asylum in October 1997 given the fact that, in relation to a previous alleged coup on 8 December 1982, it is known that 15 people who were arrested on allegations of involvement in a coup were summarily executed in Paramaribo? 3. Is the Council aware of the fact that the Suriname state councillor Desi Bouterse has publicly accused a number of leading figures in Suriname of treason, including the human rights activist Stanley Rensch and the journalists Iwan Brave and Johny Kamperveen and the newspaper Ware Tijd and what consequences does the Council draw from this? (98/C 304/17) WRITTEN QUESTION E-4163/97 by Leonie van Bladel (UPE) to the Council (22 January 1998) Subject: Measures in the event of EU citizens being taken hostage by Suriname Is the Council aware of the arrest of 27 civilians and military personnel on 25 October 1997 in Suriname in 1. response to the planning of an alleged coup? Does the Council not consider that the allegations of the Suriname state councillor Desi Bouterse, which he 2. made recently in the Suriname media on the involvement of foreign powers, including the Netherlands, in planning the alleged coup are a reaction by the former dictator to the inquiry carried out by the Netherlands Justice Ministry together with the American DEA into Bouterseís drug-related activities, this judicial inquiry having recently led to an international investigation and extradition request for Bouterse?