[CLAIM] Suriname

A brief overview: Suriname is a sovereign entity in northeastern South America. We are the smallest nation in South America, and we share borders with Brazil, Guyana, and the French Guiana. While our nation is part of mainland South America, Suriname is widely considered to be culturally Caribbean. We are also one of the most diverse nations on the planet, four ethnic groups each make up more than 13% of our population.

Suriname is a former Dutch colony, therefore the majority of our citizens are Dutch speakers. We gained autonomy in 1954, and were granted full independence in 1975, avoiding conflict. Though Suriname was officially independent, the nation continued to run almost entirely off of Dutch foreign aid for an entire decade. During that time the nation's government fell into mass corruption, and many Surinamese citizens fled to the Netherlands. The constant flight of citizens through this time period stunted the growth of Suriname greatly. Even today, the nation's president is a corrupt former drug lord, who orchestrated the killing of fifteen young Surinamese men in 1982. The president, Dési Bouterse, was convicted in 2000 of running a drug ring, and trafficking 474 kilos of cocaine out of Brazil and Suriname. He has escaped custody and now leads the nation, a fugitive from EUROPOL. It is up to the people of Suriname to pull our nation out of the great slump we are in, and turn Suriname into a great nation!

Other details: We have a population of roughly 550,000, most of which live along the coast, in and around our capital of Paramaribo. A large portion of the southern part of the nation is Rainforest, with few people living in it. Bauxite mines are a huge source of revenue for the nation.

Characters: Dési Bouterse, the largely corrupt president of Suriname, a murderer and former drug lord. He was the de facto leader of Suriname from 1980 to 1987, due to the military control of the nation. Bouterse is a fugitive from Dutch justice, and has an 11 year sentence for drug trafficking waiting for him in the Netherlands.

Gregory Rusland, the former Minister for Natural Resources, and current leader of the National Party of Suriname, the opposition party to Bouterse's National Democratic Party.

Ashwin Adhin, the current Vice President of Suriname. He is a former Minister of Education.

Paul Somohardjo, the speaker of the Surinamese National Assembly. He is chairman of the Pertjajah Lahur party. The Pertjajah Lahur party is part of the New Front for Democracy and Development, along with Rusland's National Party of Suriname, the Progressive Reform Party, and the Surinamese Labour Party. Somohardjo, along with other members of the Front, opposes the NDP and their corrupt practices.

Diepakkoemar Chitan, another Pertjajah Lahur member of the National Assembly, is a strong advocate against the NDP's seemingly total control over the Surinamese government. Chitan advocates for removal of the NDP entirely, and a complete reform of the National Assembly and Ministry. Chitan is a more radical player, while his party-mate, Paul Somohardjo, wishes to overcome the NDP through more conventional methods, and without any conflict.

Jules Wijdenbosch, a former president of Suriname, is the leader of the People's Alliance for Progress, an alliance of parties that also opposes the NDP. The PAP has many of the same ideals as the Front, however they are separated by the PAP's general appreciation of the Surinamese governmental system, as they are only driven by the thought that it has fallen into the wrong hands.

Plans: The Surinamese plan is for the Front and the PAP to form a coalition with other smaller parties, against the NDP. If these parties can set aside their differences and unite in a common cause against the National "Democratic" Party, then the National Assembly's makeup can take a turn for the better, and hopefully Suriname can begin to rely less on Bauxite and Gold revenue. The Front, especially the Pertjajah Lahur, wish to turn President Dési Bouterse over to EUROPOL officials in order to serve out his 11 year sentence.

The PAP in particular wish to bring Suriname closer to South American issues, while some subparties, and some of the Front would rather stay more Caribbean aligned.

Edit: the next presidential election will be held in 2020!