List of Famous people born in Paramaribo, Suriname

Kenneth Gonçalves

First Name Kenneth
Born on November 16, 1940
Died on December 8, 1982 (aged 42)

The December murders were the murders on 7, 8, and 9 December 1982, of fifteen prominent young Surinamese men who had criticized the military dictatorship then ruling Suriname. Thirteen of these men were arrested on December 7 between 2 am and 5 am while sleeping in their homes. The other two were Surendre Rambocus and Jiwansingh Sheombar who were already imprisoned for attempting a counter-coup in March 1982. Soldiers of Dési Bouterse, the then dictator of Suriname, took them to Fort Zeelandia, where they were heard as 'suspects in a trial' by Bouterse and other sergeants in a self-appointed court. After these 'hearings' they were tortured and shot dead. The circumstances have not yet become completely clear; on December 10, 1982, Bouterse claimed on national television that all of the detainees had been shot dead 'in an attempt to flee'.

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Ronald Venetiaan

First Name Ronald
Last Name Venetiaan
Born on June 18, 1936 (age 90)

Ronald Runaldo Venetiaan served as the 6th President of Suriname.

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Johan Adolf Pengel

First Name Johan
Born on January 20, 1916
Died on June 5, 1970 (aged 54)

Johan Adolf "Jopie" Pengel was a Surinamese politician, and Prime Minister of Suriname from 30 June 1963 to 5 March 1969 for the National Party of Suriname (NPS).

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Sören Opti

First Name Sören
Last Name Opti
Born on May 16, 1997 (age 29)

Sören Hans Brad Opti is a badminton player from Suriname. He competed at the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics. He lost to both Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia and Derek Wong Zi Liang of Singapore during group play and did not advance further. Opti was the flagbearer for Suriname during the opening ceremony. Opti participated at the 2014 and 2018 Central American and Caribbean Games. After winning many National and Regional junior titles, he became Surinamese National Champion Men's Singles in 2016 and retained this title in 2017, 2018 and 2019. In 2016 and 2018 he was runner-up at the Carebaco International. In 2016 he reached the semi-finals at the Chile International and the Santo Domingo Open. Opti participated at the 2019 Pan Am Games for Suriname in the Men's Singles and Men's Doubles events. In 2019 he reached the semi-finals in the Men's Doubles category with his doubles partner Mitch Nai Chung Tong at the Carebaco International in Bridgetown, Barbados. At the end of 2019 he joined the Cuntapay Badminton Academy (CBA) in Switzerland.

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Harold Riedewald

First Name Harold
Last Name Riedewald
Born on January 12, 1933
Died on December 8, 1982 (aged 49)

The December murders were the murders on 7, 8, and 9 December 1982, of fifteen prominent young Surinamese men who had criticized the military dictatorship then ruling Suriname. Thirteen of these men were arrested on December 7 between 2 am and 5 am while sleeping in their homes. The other two were Surendre Rambocus and Jiwansingh Sheombar who were already imprisoned for attempting a counter-coup in March 1982. Soldiers of Dési Bouterse, the then dictator of Suriname, took them to Fort Zeelandia, where they were heard as 'suspects in a trial' by Bouterse and other sergeants in a self-appointed court. After these 'hearings' they were tortured and shot dead. The circumstances have not yet become completely clear; on December 10, 1982, Bouterse claimed on national television that all of the detainees had been shot dead 'in an attempt to flee'.

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Henck Arron

First Name Henck
Born on April 25, 1936
Died on December 4, 2000 (aged 64)

Henck Alphonsus Eugène Arron was the first Prime Minister of Suriname after it gained independence in 1975. A member of the National Party of Suriname, he served from 24 December 1973 with the transition government, to 25 February 1980. He was overthrown in a coup d'état by the military, led by Dési Bouterse. Released in 1981 after charges of corruption were dropped, he returned to banking, his previous career. In 1987, Arron was elected as Vice President of Suriname and served until another coup in 1990 overthrew the government.

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Mitchel Wongsodikromo

Mitchel Arthur Wongsodikromo is a Surinamese badminton player and coach. He competed for Suriname at three Pan Am Games: 2003 Pan American Games, 2007 Pan American Games & the 2011 Pan American Games. As a very young badminton player of the club T.N.F. in Suriname Mitchel Wongsodikromo was an exceptional talent and won numerous juniors titles and was soon selected to represent his country abroad winning several juniors medals at Caribbean, Central American and South American events. Much of his success was with his doubles partner Virgil Soeroredjo.

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Oscar Brandon

First Name Oscar
Last Name Brandon
Born on August 8, 1971 (age 55)

Oscar Roël Brandon is a Surinamese badminton player, coach and Olympic team manager. He competed for Suriname at the 1996 Summer Olympics as a badminton player in the Men's singles event. And he was "chef de mission" for Suriname at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London and the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

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Robby Sohansingh

First Name Robby
Born on June 4, 1945
Died on December 8, 1982 (aged 37)

The December murders were the murders on 7, 8, and 9 December 1982, of fifteen prominent young Surinamese men who had criticized the military dictatorship then ruling Suriname. Thirteen of these men were arrested on December 7 between 2 am and 5 am while sleeping in their homes. The other two were Surendre Rambocus and Jiwansingh Sheombar who were already imprisoned for attempting a counter-coup in March 1982. Soldiers of Dési Bouterse, the then dictator of Suriname, took them to Fort Zeelandia, where they were heard as 'suspects in a trial' by Bouterse and other sergeants in a self-appointed court. After these 'hearings' they were tortured and shot dead. The circumstances have not yet become completely clear; on December 10, 1982, Bouterse claimed on national television that all of the detainees had been shot dead 'in an attempt to flee'.

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Arnie Breeveld

First Name Arnie
Born on July 28, 1939 (age 87)
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