Wilfred Hawker

Who was Wilfred Hawker?

Wilfred Hawker was a sergeant-major in the Surinamese military who staged two unsuccessful coup d'états in 1982. Hawker was executed for his role in the plots, and he is the most recent person legally executed by Suriname, although the extrajudicial December murders occurred later in 1982.

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 a state of emergency. Hawker, who disagreed with these actions, led a right-wing, Hindustani-inspired uprising against Bouterse's régime, which began on 15 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 by Surendre 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 by stretcher to Fort Zeelandia, where he was summarily tried and condemned to death for treason. Hawker was executed by firing squad before a live Surinamese television broadcast.