Commander of the Armed Forces (Suriname)

Head of the armed forces of Suriname

Commander of the Armed Forces of Suriname

Commandant van de strijdkrachten van Suriname

Coat of arms of Suriname

Incumbent
Brigade general Werner Kioe A Sen

since 27 October 2022

National Army
Type| Chief of staff
Member of| Security Council
Appointer| President of Suriname
Chan Santokhi
Term length| Not fixed
Inaugural holder| Yngwe Elstak
Formation| 25 November 1975
Website| Official website

The Commander of the Armed Forces (Dutch: Commandant van de strijdkrachten) is the professional head of the National Army (Dutch: Nationaal Leger—NL), the military of the Republic of Suriname. The position dates back to the country's independence from the Netherlands in 1975, with the military being named the Surinamese Armed Forces (Dutch: Surinaamse Krijgsmacht—SKM) until after the Sergeants' Coup in 1980.

The Commander of the Armed Forces is appointed by the President of Suriname, who is the commander-in-chief according to the Constitution.[a]

The current Commander of the Armed Forces is Brigade general Werner Kioe A Sen, serving since 27 October 2022.[1]

## List of commanders of the armed forces

[edit]

No. | Portrait  | Commander of the Armed Forces | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Defence branch | Ref.

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

| Elstak, YngweYngwe Elstak
(1927–2010)
[b]| 25 November 1975| 25 February 1980| 4 years, 92 days| Surinamese Armed Forces
(Surinaamse Krijgsmacht)| –

| Bouterse, DésiDési Bouterse
(1945–2024)| July 1980| 22 December 1990| 10 years, 5 months| National Army
(Nationaal Leger)| [2]

| Graanoogst, IvanIvan Graanoogst
Acting
[c]| 22 December 1990| 31 December 1990| 9 days| National Army
(Nationaal Leger)| –
(2)|

| Bouterse, DésiDési Bouterse
(1945–2024)| 31 December 1990| 3 December 1992| 1 year, 11 months| National Army
(Nationaal Leger)| [3]

| Graanoogst, IvanIvan Graanoogst
Acting| 3 December 1992| 15 May 1993| 163 days| National Army
(Nationaal Leger)| –

| Gorré, ArthyArthy Gorré [nl]
(1950–2018)| 15 May 1993| 30 June 1995| 2 years, 46 days| National Army
(Nationaal Leger)| [4][5]

| Sedney, GlennColonel
Glenn Sedney| 30 June 1995| 1 July 2001| 6 years, 1 day| National Army
(Nationaal Leger)| –

| Mercuur, ErnstColonel
Ernst Mercuur| 1 July 2001| 4 February 2010| 8 years, 218 days| National Army
(Nationaal Leger)| –

| Gilaard, HedwigColonel
Hedwig Gilaard| 4 February 2010| 10 July 2013| 3 years, 156 days| National Army
(Nationaal Leger)| [6]

| Benschop, RonniColonel
Ronni Benschop [nl]
(born 1955)
Acting| 10 July 2013| 4 February 2014| 209 days| National Army
(Nationaal Leger)| [7][8]

| Benschop, RonniBrigadier general
Ronni Benschop [nl]
(born 1955)| 4 February 2014| August 2015| 1 year, 5 months| National Army
(Nationaal Leger)| [8]

| Jardim, AdolfColonel
Adolf Jardim
Acting| August 2015| March 2019| 3 years, 7 months| National Army
(Nationaal Leger)| [9]

| Kartodikromo, RobertColonel
Robert Kartodikromo| 22 March 2019| 3 May 2021| 2 years, 42 days| National Army
(Nationaal Leger)| [10]

| Axeldongen, Henri vanColonel
Henri van Axeldongen
Acting| 3 May 2021| March 2022| 9 months| National Army
(Nationaal Leger)| [11]

| Kioe A Sen, WernerLieutenant Colonel
Werner Kioe A Sen
Acting| 1 April 2022| 27 October 2022| 209 days| National Army
(Nationaal Leger)| [12]

| Kioe A Sen, WernerBrigade general
Werner Kioe A Sen| 27 October 2022| Incumbent| 2 years, 257 days| National Army
(Nationaal Leger)| [1]

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Article 100 of the Constitution of 1987.
2. ^ Deposed in the Sergeants' Coup.
3. ^ Staged the Telephone Coup.

## See also

[edit]

* Suriname National Army

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "Kolonel Werner Kioe A Sen officieel bevelhebber Nationaal Leger". gov.sr (in Dutch). Retrieved 12 February 2023.
2. ^ "Suriname Military Chief Resigns, Complaining of a Lack of Support". The New York Times. 24 December 1990. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
3. ^ "Suriname's Army Chief Resigns". The New York Times. 21 November 1992. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
4. ^ (in Dutch) Surinaamse legertop kondigt ontslag aan Archived 25 September 2019 at the Wayback Machine Trouw, 14 May 1993
5. ^ (in Dutch) Nieuwe bevelhebber in Suriname Archived 25 September 2019 at the Wayback Machine Trouw, 30 June 1995
6. ^ (in Dutch) President benoemt Hedwig Gilaard tot bevelhebber Starnieuws, 1 February 2011
7. ^ (in Dutch) Bouterse: Vervanging legerbevelhebber was nodig Starnieuws, 10 July 2013
8. ^ a b (in Dutch) Benschop wordt officieel legerleider en brigade-generaal Starnieuws, 28 January 2014
9. ^ (in Dutch) Kolonel Adolf Jardim volgt Ronni Benschop op als bevelhebber van het Nationaal Leger De Ware Tijd, 20 August 2015
10. ^ "Nationaal Leger heeft na bijkans drie jaar weer bevelhebber" (in Dutch). 22 March 2019. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
11. ^ (in Dutch) Nieuwe legerleiding gepresenteerd Archived 3 August 2021 at the Wayback Machine Defense Ministry of Suriname, 3 May 2021
12. ^ "Overste Kioe A Sen per 1 april Waarnemend Bevelhebber Nationaal Leger". defense.gov.sr (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 5 May 2022. Retrieved 7 May 2022.

* v
* t
* e

Commanders of the Armed Forces of Suriname

* Yngwe Elstak
* Dési Bouterse
* Ivan Graanoogst*
* Dési Bouterse
* Ivan Graanoogst*
* Arthy Gorré [nl]
* Glenn Sedney
* Ernst Mercuur
* Hedwig Gilaard
* Ronni Benschop [nl]
* Adolf Jardim*
* Robert Kartodikromo
* Henri van Axeldongen*
* Werner Kioe A Sen*

* denotes acting Commander

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