* Henck Arron; Led Suriname to Independence

Henck Arron, 64, the man who led Suriname to independence from the Netherlands in 1975. After becoming prime minister in 1973, Arron headed independence talks and shocked some in the South American country in 1974 when he predicted that Suriname would gain autonomy within a year. It did. He went on to lead the Suriname National Party for 23 years, during which his government was twice deposed by coups. “He led the party through the darkest political era this country has ever known, and all the evil that came with it when soldiers ruled,” said President Ronald Venetiaan, who took over leadership of the party when Arron retired. Born in Paramaribo, Suriname, Arron studied international banking in Amsterdam before starting a career in finance in his homeland. On Monday of a heart attack at the home of his brother in Alpen aan de Rijn, Netherlands.