Oldest 'Maroon' (descendants of Africans living in Suriname who escaped from slavery) ethnic interest party originally launched as the 'Bush Negro Unity Party' (Bosnegers Eenheid Partij), renamed in 1987. Party expelled in 1990 a large number of members identified with anti-Desi Bourtese rebel leader Ronnie Brunswijk. Brunswijk and the majority of the expelled BEP members almost immediately formed the anti-Bourtese ABOP party on February 11, 1990. BEP leadership was assumed by Ronny Astrado Asabina on February 3, 2018, who had represented BEP in the National Assembly from 2010 to 2015. Asabina led the BEP party list in 2025 [Broederschap en Eenheid in de Politiek (BEP)].
