Abrahams, Neede and Sital had been arrested for forming a military union and were at that time imprisoned in the Memre Boekoe barracks.

On September 15, 1980, the 'left wing' consisting of Mijnals (member of the RVP [nl]), Sital and Joemman were arrested and sentenced to several years in prison on conspiracy charges.

[5] The NMR's socialist course, strengthening its links with Cuba, Grenada (under the PRG) and Nicaragua (under the FSLN), was one of the reasons for massive protests and strikes during 1982, which would eventually lead to the December murders.

Grenada's prime minister Maurice Bishop is said to have played an important role in this, according to several sources, by inciting Bouterse to take firm action.

Incidentally, after the execution of Bishop and the United States invasion of Grenada in October 1983, Bouterse had abandoned his left course and expelled all Cuban advisers from the country.