MERCENARIES IN SURINAME

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP88-01070R000201140002-0
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 10, 2008
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: March 31, 1984
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

I V,
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RADIO IV REPORTS, INC.
4701 WILLARD AVENUE, CHEVY CHASE, MARYLAND 20815 [phone]
Special Assignment STATION CNN-TV
DATE March 31, 1984 6:30 AM
Atlanta, Georgia
TED CAVANAUGH: American mercenaries are training
guerrillas to invade Suriname.
"Special Assignment" correspondent Chuck de Caro has
this exclusive report.
"DR. JOHN": Keep your head down.
[Sound of rifle fire].
CHUCK de CARO: These men are Surinamese citizens,
resistance fighters determined to liberate their country. They
are being trained in French Guiana by American soldiers of
fortune.
In this exclusive CNN report, the two American mercen-
aries known as "Dr. John" and "Boss" told us about their efforts.
"DR. JOHN": I was retained by the Council for the
Liberation of Suriname last year to prepare the military options
that would enable the Council to regain their country from the
dictator, Bouterse. We're down here now training this cadre who
will then turn and train more of their people, and hopefully will
be launching an offensive against the dictator in the not-too-
distant future.
de CARO: This is the country the resistance fighter
plan to attack, Suriname, a former Dutch colony on the northeast
coast of South America.
Material supplied by Radio N Reports. Inc. may be used for file and reference purposes only. It may not be reproduced, sold or publicly demonstrated or exhibited.
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After 300 years of Dutch rule, Suriname became inde-
pendent in 1975. However, this man, Sergeant Major Desire
Bouterse, overthrew the legitimate government of Suriname in 1980
and, as dictator, promoted himself to Lieutenant Colonel. A
Marxist, Bouterse has progressively tightened his country over
Suriname.
Though CNN was granted special permission to film in
Suriname, our repeated requests to talk to Colonel Bouterse about
the economic and political situation was repeatedly denied.
Bouterse claims that there have been four coup attempts
against him since 1980, and all have been put down.
In December of '82, Bouterse had 15 prominent members of
the opposition rounded up and executed. He says they were shot
trying to escape. Bouterse then rescinded freedom of the press
and set up N.V.D., the government controlled media.
As a result, the Dutch cutoff $1.5 billion in aid. Then
the United States stopped one-and-a-half billion dollars in
technical assistance, leaving Bouterse's single product economy
in shambles.
Suriname's economy is almost totally based on the
aluminum industry.. And as world prices for aluminum vary, so
does Suriname's finances.
Desperate for funds, Bouterse squeezed the aluminum
industry, but the additional levies cut profits already marginal
because of the low worldwide aluminum prices. As a result, Sir
Alcoa, the country's largest producer, shutdown its bauxite mine
and may eventually shutdown all operations.
In January, a strike by aluminum workers caused the
appointed government to collapse. Bouterse got a settlement, but
was forced to liberalize the new government and promise the
return of some freedoms by May.
Without assistance from Holland or the United States,
Suriname will run out of money in about 18 months. To get
assistance, Bouterse must return Suriname to a more democratic
system. However, at this moment, Bouterse keeps the country
locked down tight.
This reporter and cameraman, Ken Kelch, had to keep a
low profile about our intentions as we were repeatedly searched
at roadblocks. Rather than be searched again with politically
sensitive video tapes, we had to travel by canoe across the
mile-wide piranha-infested Maroni River into French Guiana.
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As a result of Colonel Bouterse's repressive regime,
many thousands of Surinamese left the country. Many of them fled
either to French Guiana, or they have formed resistance move-
ments.
CNN made contact with one group, the Liberation Council
of Suriname, and was granted permission to film its American
mercenaries training the resistance fighters at a secret camp
inside French Guiana.
The leader of the resistance fighters is Lieutenant Roy
Bottse, a former lieutenant in the Surinamese Army.
LIEUTENANT ROY BOTTSE: We intend to take the country
back by hard military actions.
We are here with a number of men, fairly well selected,
hard trained, and we will hit hard, especially in places where we
know that the enemy is established.
de CARO: The resistance fighters undergo rugged
training. The American soldiers of fortune use live ammunition
to lend deadly realism.
How do you feel about having to go on against forces
that are many times greater?
"BOSS": They're greater in numbers. They have more
equipment than us. I believe a good majority of them will run
when faced with a disciplined, small unit.
de CARO: Tell us about your military experiences.
"DR. JOHN": I'm veteran of the 82nd Airborne Division,
also the United States Marine Corps.
"BOSS": Unconventional warfare, Republic of Vietnam,
and it lends itself for me training these people to do what I
experienced those years ago.
de CARO: Are you working for the CIA?
"BOSS": No, I'm not.
de CARO: John, how about you? Are you working for the
Central Intelligence Agency?
"DR. JOHN": No, I'm not, Chuck. I clear every opera-
tion with the United States Government. I do not work for the
United States Government, but I never work against it.
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de CARO: It's sort of a courtesy move on your part?
"DR. JOHN": Exactly.
de CARO: One final question. What happens if you fail?
What happens if you're caught by Bouterse and his forces.
accept.
"DR. JOHN": I don't plan to live forever, Chuck.
de CARO: How about you?
"BOSS": That would be an occupational hazard which we
de CARO: The American mercenaries have trained the
guerrillas in a number of skills, ranging from the maintenance
and care of their American-made AR-15 and Mini-14 rifles to
effective use of camouflage in the jungle.
During tactical training, half the guerrillas set up an
ambush. The others on patrol are taught to disperse quickly when
attacked and counter-attack from behind. Again, the American
mercenaries use live ammunition to add realism and to harden
their troops. Minor wounds from such training are not uncommon.
Marksmanship training is stressed, one round, one hit.
French authorities allow the resistance fighter to
train, but watch them closely.
Here, two gendarmes conduct a surprise inspection,
detaining this reporter and cameraman Ken Kelch to check pass-
ports. They were not aware that our video camera was rolling.
The guerrillas say that the French look the other way
for one reason, Aryan, the missile launched from French Guiana is
a multi-billion dollar gamble by France and other European
nations to tap the booming commercial space market. Having a
Cuban-backed Marxist regime next door to export a revolution is
not in the French interests.
The French did warn that the political situation was
shaky, and that once the guerrillas struck targets in Suriname
they could not return.
The day after CNN was detained by the gendarmes, the
French, apparently worried about an international incident,
deported the resistance fighters to a Dutch island. One of the
American mercenaries has told CNN that the resistance fighters
will simply regroup and attack Suriname soon.
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The stage is now set for a counter-revolution in
Suriname. How well this handful of freedom fighters can do
against Colonel Bouterse's forces, many times their strength, now
depends on their courage, skill and luck.
From the jungles of French Guiana, this is Chuck de
Caro, CNN "Special Assignments."
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