in the December murders of 1982 namely Ernst Gefferie, Stephanus Dendoe, Benny Brondenstein and the fugitive Iwan Dijksteel. An official request for a presidential pardon was delivered to the Office of the President on September 17th. “Time will tell,” said NDP deputy chairman Ramon Abrahams at an event that was held to commemorate the late chairman of the NDP, Desi Bouterse, on his 80th birthday. Abrahams who was a close ally of Bouterse made it clear that the four men must not be abandoned. “What will happen to our comrades in Boma and Mister Dijksteel?” The request for a presidential pardon was drawn up and presented by Irvin Kanhai, former attorney of Bouterse and other defendants in the December trial. Kanhai once again claimed that the Netherlands played a key role in the conspiracy aimed at topping the then military regime. He linked the Dutch government’s interference with the events of December 1982. Kanhai repeated his call for the Netherlands to accept responsibility for that period and expressed his wish for equal friendship between both countries. “We still have not received a reply but we will not give up,” Kanhai said.