- Wilfred Hawker
Wilfred Hawker (died
13 March 1982 ) was a seargeant-major in theSuriname se military who staged two unsuccessfulcoup d'état s in 1982. Hawker was executed for his role in the plots, and he is the most recent person to have been executed bySuriname . [ [http://www.handsoffcain.info/news/index.php?iddocumento=10001418 "Suriname: Aggravated murder premeditated murder and treason are capital crimes"] ,2008-01-01 , handsoffcain.info, accessed2008-08-11 .]In February 1980,
Dési Bouterse gained control of Suriname after staging a successful coup. Hawker was a member of the sixteen associates around Bouterse that assisted him in gaining power. In August, Bouterse dissolved parliament and declared astate of emergency . Hawker, who disagreed with these actions, led aright-wing ,Hindustani -inspired uprising against Bouterse's régime, which began on15 March 1981 . The coup failed and Hawker was imprisoned.On
11 March ,1982 , Hawker escaped from prison in the midst of another failed coup, this one led bySurendre Rambocus . Hawker was injured in the escape and was taken to a military hospital. Hawker was arrested in the hospital by Bouterse's soldiers and taken bystretcher to Fort Zeelandia, where he was summarily tried and condemned to death fortreason . Hawker was executed byfiring squad before a live Surinamese television broadcast.In November 2007, Surinamese military judge
Dhanoesdharie Nankoesing was pressured to resign after the Dutch periodical "Obsession" published aphotograph of Nankoesing holding arifle and speaking with Hawker on the stretcher at Fort Zeelandia.Ivan Cairo, [http://www.caribbeannetnews.com/suriname/suriname.php?news_id=4638&start=120&category_id=36 "Suriname military judge implicated in 1982 execution"] , "Caribbean News Net",2007-11-21 .] Nankoesing denied any involvement in Hawker's trial or executions, stating that he was simply a Surinamese soldier and was carrying a weapon like all soldiers do.Notes
References
*Jacqueline West (2002, 10th ed.). "South America, Central America and the Caribbean" (New York: Routledge, ISBN 1857431219) p. 716
*Associated Press , [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A0CE7DF133BF937A25750C0A964948260 "Rebel Leader's Execution Announced by Suriname"] , "New York Times ",1982-03-14
*David Gillies (1996). "Between Principle and Practice: Human Rights in North–South Relations" (Montreal: McGill–Queen's Press, ISBN 0773514147) p. 63
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