Information Update on Suriname
February 22, 1997
1. World Bank and Inter-American Development Bank to Consider Funding
Programmes in Suriname
Suriname is seeking funds from the World Bank and Inter-American Development
Bank. It is scheduled to submit a funding proposal to the banks in March.
According to Finance Minister, Mungra, environmental protection measures are
to figure prominently in Suriname's proposal. This news came after a
Surinamese delegation traveled to Washington DC to meet with staff of the
Banks. Concrete details of what Suirname will seek funds for are not
available at this time.
2. West Suriname Project Revived
There has been a lot of activity related to the revival of the West Suriname
or Kabellebo project recently. This project involves constructing a
hydroelectric scheme to provide energy for industrial operations. In
particular, the exploitation of bauxite reserves in West Suriname as
reserves in East Suriname are dwindling. Rumors were ciruclating last year
that the Dutch government and a Dutch private energy corporation were
interested in providing finance. However, recent events indicate that
Surianme is turning to its neighbour Brazil for support. The President has
made a number of trips to Brazil as has National Democratic Party leader,
Desi Bouterse, to discuss the Kabellebo project in pasr weeks and a
Brazillian delegation is expected in Suriname shortly.
The area slated for this project and for bauxite mining is one of high
biological diversity with a significant population of endemic species.
These activities will also affect Indigenous peoples who live in the region,
namely Carib and Arawak communities in the Wayambo region and Apura-Section,
which lies on the border with Guyana. An Indigenous leader from Apura
recently stated that he welcomed bauxite mining as he believes that it will
provide employment for community members. Leaders from Wayambo, however,
are not pleased by the prospect of industrial mining and a hydroelectic
scheme in their territory. The last hydroelectric scheme that Suriname
constructed to facilitate bauxite mining operations, which caused the forced
displacement of approximately 6000 Maroons, is still fresh in their
memories. So to is the fact that Surinamese law does not recognize any
guarantees for Indigenous and Maroon land rights.
The history of bauxite mining in Suriname does not inspire confidence
either. Large areas of Eastern Suriname now resemble a moonscape rather
than the lush tropical environment that exists in most other parts of the
country. One Maroon community, Adjumakondre, has been severely affected by
bauxite mining activities and others have also suffered negative effects.
Suralco's smelter at Paranam is notorious for its failure to control the
environmental effects of its operations. South African owned, Biliton, and
Suralco, a wholly owned subsidiary of US company ALCOA are presently active
in the bauxite sector in Suriname.
3. Berjaya Requests Concession of 150,000 hectares
Berjaya Berhad, a Malayasian logging company, recently requested a logging
concession of 150,000 hectares in Surianme. Berjaya, which was expelled
from the Solomon Islands for attempting to bribe a government minister, was
one of the companies that had applied for a concession of 1 million plus
hectares in 1995. Berjaya has also been working through front companies,
SAWI in particular, for at least a year with the full knowledge of
Surianmese authorities.
4. Triangle Mining NV
Canadian gold mining company, Morris Mayers, and Surinamese entreprenur, Jan
Rama, have formed a holding company called Triangle Mining NV. This company
has been granted a 3000 hectare concession near the Maroon community of
Boslanti, which lies on the Suriname river some 90 km south of the capital
Paramaibo. Other Maroon communities are affected by this concession and
neither they or Boslanti were consulted about or even informed about the
granting of this concession. Tensions have arisen between the company and
local communities and one community has already asked that they leave their
territory. The mining company claims that cooperation and relations between
itself and the communities is good and that its has promised to build a
school and provide other social services.
What is unique about this mining operation, in Suriname at least, is that it
uses a mobile mining machine capable of exploiting aluvial deposits up to 30
metres deep. The company also claims that its operations are
environmentally friendly insofar as they use a mercury retort system to
recover mercury that otherwise would be released into the environment,
although they do admit that it's only 95% efficient. If sucessful in this
pilot project, Morris Mayers, owner of the Canadian firm, says that he will
expand into other areas of Suriname.
5. Not Much Left to Give in Suriname
Mr. Lip o sam of Wylap Mining NV, partner of Canadian company Canarc, stated
on the radio recently that very little of Suriname remains for granting
mining concessions: most is gone already! Maps detailing concessions at the
Government's Geology and Mines Service support this conclusion. Estimates
of the number of Indigenous and Maroon communities located either in or
affected by mining concessions exceeds 100. These concessions, some of
which are held by Maroon and Indigenous leaders, were granted without
informing or consulting with the vast majority of the affected communities.
6. Environmental Plan and Institute Contemplated
An environmental workshop was held in Suriname, January 23-24, to discuss an
environmental plan for Suriname and the establishment of an Environmental
Institute. This workshop was attended by government officials, NGOs and
intergovernmental representatives. Concrete proposals are to generated
based upon the conclusions of this workshop, but none have been seen to
date. This may be one of the areas for which Suriname seeks World Bank and
IDB funding.
7. New Indigenous Organization
A new Indigenous organization has been created in Suriname. The Federation
of Indigenous Organizations in Suriname (FINOS). This organization, which
was founded by disaffected members of another Indigenous organization, has
very close ties to the government of Suriname.
8. Granman Pesaiphe Dies
Granman Mamedi Pesaiphe, traditional leader of the Trio people died last
month in hospital in Paramaribo where he underwent an operation. The
Granman will be sorely missed by his people, who held an eight day mourning
ceremony in Kwamasemutu, which lies near the border with Brazil. He will
also be missed by Indigenous leaders throughout Suriname, who knew him as a
wise man who cared about the future of his people and all Indigenous peoples
in Suriname. The Granman's sucessor is Asongo Alaraparwe.
Kwamalasemutu was recently in the news due to a dispute with Canadian gold
mining company, Golden Star Resources. Community leaders claim that they
were tricked into signing a letter of no objection to the granting of a
mining concession on their land in November 1995 and had failed, despite
repeated attempts, to have the concession revoked. A recent investigation by
the Association of Indigenous Village Leaders states that the evidence
supports the community's claim that they were tricked. They demanded that
Golden Star be forced to leave their land and never return.
9. The Association of Indigenous Village Leaders in Suriname writes to the
President to Express Concerns About the Government's Commission on Land Rights
The Association of Indigenous Village Leaders in Suriname (VIDS) recently
wrote to the President to express concerns about the Government's Commission
on Land Rights. This Commission takes the place of the Redan Commission,
which was installed a number of years previously, to examine the "problem of
land rights in the interior of Suriname." The VIDS questioned why the
mandate of the Commission had not been made public; why its hearings to date
have not been public and; why the VIDS had been excluded from giving
testimony. They also said that the appropriate role of this Commission
would be to identify international human rights standards related to land
rights and then define, with the full and meaningful participation of
Indigenous peoples, how these standards were to be implemented in the
Surinamese context. The Government and its Commission have thus far
rejected the application of interntional standards. They seem intent on
attempting to define Indigenous and Maroon rights on the basis of individual
titles, without any modification in existing Surinamese law. If they do so,
Indigenous peopels and Maroons will remain without any viable and effective
protections for their ancestral lands.
The position of the VIDS is supported by the resolutions of the Gran Krutu
(Great Gathering) of Indigenous peoples and Maroons held in November of
1996. The Gran Krutu stated, with regard to the Land Rights Commission,
that "this once again demonstrates a lack of respect for our human rights"
and demanded that all and any future discussions relating to Indigenous and
Maroon lands and resources must take place with the participation and
consent of their freely chosen representatives.
For further information please contact the Forest Peoples Programme,
1c Fosseway Business Centre, Stratford Road, Moreton in Marsh, GL56 9NQ, UK
Tel: 44 (0)1608 652893 Fax: 44 (0)1608 652878 Email: wrm@gn.apc.org
Forest Peoples Programme / World Rainforest Movement (UK Office)
1c Fosseway Business Center, Stratford Road, Moreton in Marsh, GL56 9NQ, UK
Tel: 44 (0)i608 652893 Fax: 44 (0) 1608 652878 Email: wrm@gn.apc.org
The World Rainforest Movement's International Secretariat is at:
Casilla de Correo 1539, Montevideo, Uruguay
Tel: 598 2 496192 Fax: 598 2 419222 Email: rcarrere@chasque.apc.org