>KittenKlub at 10:46, 16 May 2021

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{{short description|Surinamese politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2014}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Jagernath Lachmon
| image = Jagernath Lachmon 1975.jpg
| image_size = 260px
| caption = Jagernath Lachmon in 1975
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1916|09|21}}
| birth_place = [[Nickerie District|Nickerie]], [[Suriname]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|2001|10|19|1916|9|21}}
| death_place = [[The Hague]], [[Netherlands]]
| death_cause =
| office1 = [[List of Chairmen of the National Assembly of Suriname|Chairperson of the National Assembly of Suriname]]
| term_start1 = 24 July 2000
| term_end1 = 19 October 2001<ref name="chair">{{cite news|url=https://unitednews.sr/surinaams-parlement-dit-jaar-155-jaar/ |title=SURINAAMS PARLEMENT DIT JAAR 155 JAAR|website=United News|access-date=16 May 2021|language=nl}}</ref>
| predecessor1 = [[Marijke Djwalapersad]]
| successor1 = [[Ram Sardjoe]]
| term_start2 = 14 December 1987
| term_end2 = 9 October 1996<ref name="chair"/>
| predecessor2 = {{ill|Ulrich Aron|nl}}
| successor2 = [[Marijke Djwalapersad]]
| office3 = [[List of chairmen of the Estates of Suriname|Chairperson of the Estates of Suriname]]
| term_start3 = 18 November 1969
| term_end3 = 15 December 1973<ref name="chair"/>
| predecessor3 = {{ill|Emile de la Fuente|nl}}
| successor3 = {{ill|Olton van Genderen|nl}}
| residence =
| other_names =
| known_for =
| education =
| occupation =
| spouse = Fawziya Lachmon <ref>{{cite web |title=Toespraak van mevr. Fawziya Lachmon |url=http://www.ramdiensardjoe.com/images/MENU-RECHTS/VHP/VHP-1/25-8_Wetenschapp_Bureau_toespraak_Mevr_Lachmon.pdf |website=Ramdien Sardjoe |accessdate=26 July 2020 |language=nl}}</ref>
| partner =
| children =
| parents =
| relatives =
| signature =
| nationality =
| party = [[Progressive Reform Party (Suriname)|Progressive Reform Party]] (VHP)
}}
'''Jagernath Lachmon''', also '''Jaggernath Lachmon''', (21 September 1916 – 19 October 2001) was a [[Suriname]]se politician. He was one of the founders of the [[Progressive Reform Party (Suriname)|Progressive Reform Party]] (VHP), an [[Indo-Surinamese]] party founded in 1947 of which he served as President until his death.<ref>{{cite web|title=Jaggernath Lachmon|url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/761420/Jaggernath-Lachmon|publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica|accessdate=15 January 2014}}</ref>

==Biography==
Lachmon was born in Corantijnpolder in the district of [[Nickerie District|Nickerie]]. The youngest child of six, his parents were contract laborers from [[Uttar Pradesh]]<ref name="independent"/> to Suriname.<ref name="canon">{{cite web|url=https://www.canonvannederland.nl/nl/suriname/suriname/jagernath-lachmon|title=Jagernath Lachmon|website=Canon van Nederland|access-date=24 June 2020|language=nl}}</ref> His father was a cook and his mother clipped cane on the plantation [[Oostelijke Polders#Waterloo|Waterloo]].<ref name="dagblad">{{cite web|url=https://www.dbsuriname.com/2012/10/17/plaatsing-borstbeeld-lachmon-op-25-november/|title=Plaatsing borstbeeld Lachmon op 25 november|website=Dagblad Suriname|access-date=24 June 2020|language=nl}}</ref> His parents had chosen the surname Lachmon when they arrived at the plantation.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nationaalarchief.nl/onderzoeken/index/nt00345/7431060a-c061-102d-a5b5-0050569c51dd|title=Suriname: Contractarbeiders uit India (Hindostanen), Contractnummer: U/1155|website=[[Nationaal Archief]]|access-date=24 June 2020|language=nl}}</ref> Later, his parents started a small dairy farm in [[Nieuw Nickerie]].

Lachmon left for [[Paramaribo]] when he was thirteen, and completed his school qualifications. On the advice of one of his teachers, he decided to practise law.<ref name="canon"/> At that time, there were restrictions about legal studies in Suriname. After a long search, he found the creole lawyer [[Julius Caesar de Miranda]] who became mentor.<ref name="canon"/> Surprised that a Creole was willing to teach an Indian made a great impression on the young Lachmon and laid the basis for his efforts towards reconciliation between the different ethnic groups.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://issuu.com/kitpublishers/docs/lachmon1-32_bbc4418ddd2ec1/24|title=Verbroederingspolitiek in Suriname|website=LM Publishers via Issuu|access-date=24 June 2020|language=nl}}</ref>

In 1940, he started his own law practice,<ref name="independent">{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/jagernath-lachmon-9225046.html|title=Jagernath Lachmon|website=Independent.co.uk|access-date=24 June 2020}}</ref> and in 1943, together with other Hindus, he founded the association Djagaran Will.<ref name="bloem">{{cite news|url=https://www.dbsuriname.com/2017/09/22/familie-lachmon-plaatst-bloemstuk-bij-standbeeld/|title=Familie Lachmon plaatst bloemstuk bij standbeeld|website=Dagblad Suriname|access-date=24 June 2020|language=nl}}</ref> In 1947, Lachmon was one of the founders and forerunner of the [[Progressive Reform Party (Suriname)|United Hindustani Party]] (VHP), the largest Hindu political party in Suriname (later renamed Progressive Reform Party).<ref name="nu">{{cite web|url=https://www.suriname.nu/701vips/belangrijke12.html|title=Jagernath Lachmon|website=Suriname.nu|access-date=24 June 2020|language=nl}}</ref> Lachmon was chairman, and retained that post until his death.<ref name="bloem"/> In the general election of 1949, Lachmon won a seat in the States of Suriname,<ref name="independent"/> and the [[National Party of Suriname]] (NPS) took 13 of the 21 seats, enabling them to form a government. In the 1955 Suriname election, the NPS lost heavily, and Lachmon withdrew one of its candidates to back [[Johan Adolf Pengel]], in order to give him a better chance. From 1964 to 1967 and 1969 to 1973, Lachmon served as the [[List of Chairmen of the Estates of Suriname|Chairman of the Estates of Suriname]].<ref name="nationalassembly">{{in lang|nl}}[https://web.archive.org/web/20130714135843/http://www.dna.sr/achtergrond/lijst-van-oud-voorzitters De Nationale Assemblée: Lijst van Oud-Voorzitters]</ref>

===Independence===
[[File:Arron Lachmon Suriname vlag.jpg|thumb|Jagernath Lachmon and Prime Minister [[Henck Arron]] with the new flag in November 1975]]
In February 1974, [[Henck Arron]], the Prime Minister at the time, announced that Suriname would be granted independence from the [[Netherlands]] at the end of 1975. Lachmon was in favor of the independence of Suriname, but only in the long term against the will of Hindus.<ref name="nu"/> Arron's plans were too hastily for him, because he was afraid of domination of the Indians by the Afro-Creoles. The ethnic tensions in the neighboring country, [[Guyana]] (formerly [[British Guiana]]) as an example of what could occur to Suriname if the government acted with blind haste.<ref name="nu"/> He called for a referendum on independence, if only because that issue had played no role in the elections of 1973.<ref name="historisch"/> Arron did not want it, and the Dutch government advised against it.<ref name="historisch">{{cite web|url=https://www.historischnieuwsblad.nl/verlangen-naar-suriname/|title=Verlangen naar Suriname|website=Historisch Nieuwsblad|access-date=24 June 2020|language=nl}}</ref> In the run-up to independence, this led to severe riots erupted.<ref name="sergeants">{{cite web|url=https://ufdc.ufl.edu/UF00095576/00033/7x|title=The Year of the Sergeants|access-date=22 June 2020|date=1980|author=Caribbean Review|website=University of Florida}}</ref> Lachmon, often mockingly referred to as ''Lachmon van Oranje'' (English: Lachmon of the House of Orange),<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.rd.nl/oud/bui/011020bui03.html|title=”Lachmon van Oranje” is niet meer|website=Reformatisch Dagblad|access-date=24 June 2020|language=nl}}</ref> was reconciled to the idea just six days before independence. The commitment of [[Johan Ferrier]] to be the first president played an important role. On 25 November 1975, Suriname became [[Independence of Suriname|independent]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.parlement.com/id/vhnnmt7lcryw/onafhankelijkheid_suriname_in_1975|title=Onafhankelijkheid Suriname|website=Government of the Netherlands|access-date=24 June 2020|language=nl}}</ref>

In the period after the [[1980 Surinamese coup d'état|Sergeants' Coup]] in February 1980 he took the idea of bending reeds that he admired [[Mahatma Gandhi]] had promoted<ref name="canon"/> and that his opponents mockingly called bending with all winds. In 1987 elections could be held against partially thanks to Lachmon's reconciliation efforts.<ref name="nos">{{cite news|url=https://nos.nl/artikel/146417-vhp-vooruitstrevende-hervormings-partij.html|title=VHP: Vooruitstrevende Hervormings Partij|website=Nederlandse Omroep Stichting|language=nl|access-date=24 June 2020}}</ref> His VHP was in the government and Lachmon was chairman of the National Assembly. In total, he was [[List of Chairmen of the National Assembly of Suriname|the chairman of the National Assembly]] five times between 1987 and 2001.<ref name="nationalassembly">{{in lang|nl}}[https://web.archive.org/web/20130714135843/http://www.dna.sr/achtergrond/lijst-van-oud-voorzitters De Nationale Assemblée: Lijst van Oud-Voorzitters]</ref> In June 1999 he was in the [[Guinness Book of Records]] as the longest-serving parliamentarian in the world.<ref name="canon"/>

===Death===
Lachmon died in a hotel room in [[The Hague]], during an official visit to the [[Dutch government]] as chairman of a parliamentary delegation.<ref name="canon"/> On 25 October 2001 he was cremated in [[Paramaribo]].<ref name="canon"/> In order to emphasize good relationships with the NPS, the body went not only to the VHP-party office, but also to that of the NPS.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rd.nl/oud/bui/011025bui06.html |title=Waardig afscheid van Jagernath Lachmon|website=Reformatorisch Dagblad|access-date=24 June 2020|language=nl}}</ref> Lachmon was succeeded as president by [[Ram Sardjoe]].<ref name="nos"/>
Lachmon was married to Fawziya A.L. Abdul Sovan.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.waterkant.net/suriname/2010/08/20/weduwe-surinaamse-politicus-lachmon-overleden/|title=Weduwe Surinaamse politicus Lachmon overleden|website=Waterkant|access-date=24 June 2020|language=nl}}</ref>

A statue of Lachmon is situated on the [[Onafhankelijkheidsplein]] (Independence Square).<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.starnieuws.com/index.php/welcome/index/nieuwsitem/13036|title=Herdenking jaardag Lachmon is hoog houden waarden |website=Star Nieuws|access-date=24 June 2020|language=nl}}</ref> In 2012, a [[Bust (sculpture)|bust]] of Lachmon was placed in [[Nieuw-Nickerie]].<ref name="dagblad"/> At Kwakoe, the annual Summer Festival in Amsterdam, the "Kwakoe Jagernath Lachmon Award" is awarded to Surinamese who have been commendable in social or cultural areas.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.solidariteit.nl/extra/2019/monumenten_van_paramaribo.html|title=Monumenten van Paramaribo|website=Solidariteit|access-date=24 June 2020|language=nl}}</ref>

==References==
{{Commons category|Jagernath Lachmon}}
{{reflist}}

{{Chairmen of the National Assembly of Suriname}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lachmon, Jagernath}}
[[Category:1916 births]]
[[Category:2001 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Nickerie District]]
[[Category:Surinamese people of Indian descent]]
[[Category:Progressive Reform Party (Suriname) politicians]]
[[Category:Speakers of the National Assembly (Suriname)]]
[[Category:Chairmen of the Estates of Suriname]]

Jagernath Lachmon - Revision history

>KittenKlub at 10:46, 16 May 2021