Surinam rebels plan powers for civilians

The new military rulers of the former Dutch colony of Surinam have said they intend to install a civilian body to handle some administrative affairs. Overall control of the country, however, is in the hands of an eight- man military council of junior officers who seized power in a lightning coup Monday, according to a council statement on Surinam television Monday night.

The military council said it had arrested commanders of the 1,000- strong Army as well as high-ranking government officials and politicians. It said it would soon transfer some administrative functions to the civilian body, but gave no details.

The coup was apparently sparked by the banning of a soldiers' trade union.