President Chan Santokhi invited the National Democratic Party (NDP) to take part in first talks to develop national conversation, but the NDP declined. In a letter to the chief of state, NDP chairman Desi Bouterse claims that no agenda regarding the topics to be discussed has been received. The NDP have proposed a national dialogue on March 7, 2022. The need for changing the policy was then made clear. There has been no substantive response from the president to this and no policy shift.
In the meantime, things have gotten out of hand, and your administration has reacted by using excessive force against peaceful protesters while denying citizens protection from violent elements. The outcome is an irreversible loss of trust in the government if you continue down this path, and it also intensifies repression by, among other things, appealing to other powers for support against the Surinamese people, argues Bouterse.
The dangerous situation, according to the NDP, can only be analyzed and addressed using data on the most significant economic, social, and administrative issues. The NDP group has frequently requested detailed action plans, reports, and financial statements in vain. The president is urged to release the required materials to the public right away.
