The small South American country of Suriname has a deep historical connection to the Netherlands and Dutch football. André Kamperveen was its first player to make that trip overseas, and his success has spurred generations of similar migrant journeys. But his life is emblematic of the horrors of military dictatorship just as much as it shows the beauty of a sports-loving independent nation.
On 25th November 1975, Suriname became an independent nation, relinquishing its former status as a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. In the turbulent years after the transition, the idea of self-sufficiency and proving there was no need for others nor hindrance from standing on their own was a guiding philosophy of the nation. The repercussions of this idea continue to this day, with dual citizenship not allowed and only the complicated structure of a sports passport, put in place in 2019, making it possible for Dutch players of Surinamese origin to represent the Surinamese national team. Large waves of emigration from Suriname to The Netherlands began around the time of independence, but the years under the military dictatorship in the 1980s also prompted many to flee the country, especially in the wake of the December Murders and the Interior War that followed.
André ‘Ampie’ Kamperveen was a multi-sport player and international sports administrator who also worked in journalism and media. He was involved in politics, holding a ministerial post for a short while. Ampie was loved as well as respected: A country boy who had achieved success not only with athletic talent and skill but also through results in the classroom (academic success being a critical component for being well seen in much of the region) all without any shortcuts or leg-ups. This is best exemplified by the many people who turned out for his funeral, despite the potential repercussions of being seen at a ceremony for someone who had been summarily executed by the military government.
Kamperveen was one of fifteen men, critics of the military government, shot at Fort Zeelandia in Paramaribo in December 1982 in the events that came to be known as the December murders. He was one of the most well-known of the victims and his many contributions in a plethora of fields were linked directly to him being targeted.