Desi Bouterse will not receive a state funeral, as announced by the Surinamese government during a press conference. It was revealed on Wednesday that the former Surinamese president passed away at the age of 79.
The cause of death remains unknown. Following Bouterse’s death, there was speculation about whether he would receive a state funeral, which is a public ceremony for heads of state.
Opinions on the matter are divided. The vice-chairman of the NDP, the party Bouterse founded and chaired, stated to reporters from the Surinamese newspaper De Ware Tijd that the party and the bereaved are not requesting a state funeral.
“If it happens, it happens, but we are waiting calmly.” Last year, Bouterse was convicted for his leading role in the December murders, where fifteen opponents of his regime were killed in 1982. He was on the run for over a year.
His death has sparked reactions in both Suriname and the Netherlands. Upon his death, officers were informed that Bouterse’s body was taken by “unknown persons” to his home in the Leonsberg district of Paramaribo.
The pathologist found “no signs of foul play.” The body was seized in consultation with the Public Prosecutor’s Office and taken to the morgue. The police are investigating the cause of death, and a “criminal investigation is ongoing, with several individuals being interviewed.” The Surinamese police urge citizens to “await the investigation results and refrain from speculation.”
Source: NOS