Suriname: Religious and Political Protests Around Government Scrapping and Adding National Holidays

Desi Bouterse

The Suriname National Holidays Commission is recommending that the government replace three of the 15 national holidays in a move that is likely to anger religious groups in Suriname - a former Dutch Colony which became independent in 1975..

The Commission, established last year to evaluate all national holidays, has recommended that Good Friday, the day on which Christians commemorate the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ, Id-Ul, Adha, the Muslim holiday to commemorate the Festival of Sacrifice and Divali, the Hundu holiday to mark the Festioval of Lights, be scrapped.

Commission Chairman Marlon Powell says people can still request days off from their employers, if they wish to commemorate religious holidays that are important to them.

But local pastor Paul Doth, has already warned that Christians would not give up Good Friday. He says no way Good Friday can be scrapped. The Desi Bouterse government has come in for much criticism after it announced national holidays for the Maroon and Indigenous People last year.

In addition, the government also reinstated February 25^th as a holiday to mark the military 1980 coup that first brought Desi Bouterse, then an army sergeant and presently the President, to power.  The Commission is now recommending that the government declare national holidays to observe Sasi Suro, the Javanese New Year as well as the Chinese New Year.

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