• Indigenous peoples in Suriname

    Indigenous peoples in Suriname

The Indigenous World 2022: Suriname

The Indigenous Peoples of Suriname number approximately 20,344 people, or 3.8% of the total population of 541,638[i] (census 2012). The four most numerous Indigenous Peoples are the Kaliña (Carib), Lokono (Arawak), Trio (Tirio, Tareno) and Wayana. In addition, there are small settlements of other Amazonian Indigenous Peoples in the south of Suriname, including the Akoerio, Warao, Apalai, Wai-Wai, Okomoyana, Mawayana, Katuena, Tunayana, Pireuyana, Sikiiyana, Alamayana, Maraso, Awayakule, Sirewu, Upuruy, Sarayana, Kasjoeyana, Murumuruyo, Kukuyana, Piyanakoto and Sakëta. The Kaliña and Lokono live mainly in the northern part of the country and are sometimes referred to as “lowland” Indigenous Peoples, whereas the Trio, Wayana and other Amazonian peoples live in the south and are referred to as “highland” peoples.

The legislative system of Suriname, based on colonial legislation, does not recognise Indigenous or Tribal peoples, and Suriname has no legislation governing Indigenous and Tribal peoples’ land or other rights. This forms a major threat to the survival and well-being of Indigenous and tribal peoples, particularly given the strong focus that is being placed on Suriname’s many natural resources (including oil, bauxite, gold, water, forests and biodiversity). Suriname is one of the few countries in South America that has not ratified ILO Convention 169. It did vote in favour of adopting the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in 2007.


This article is part of the 36th edition of The Indigenous World, a yearly overview produced by IWGIA that serves to document and report on the developments Indigenous Peoples have experienced. The photo above is of Indigenous Women standing up and taking the lead in the land rights struggle of their community in Jharkhand, India. This photo was taken by Signe Leth, and is the cover of the Indigenous World 2022 where the article is featured. Find The Indigenous World 2022 in full here


Legislative developments

Legislative developments on the rights of Indigenous and Tribal peoples have become rather mainstream in policy and political discussions in Suriname thanks to strong media communication on the part of Indigenous traditional authorities, united in VIDS (the Association of Indigenous Village Leaders in Suriname) and several protests, demonstrations and petitions to the National Assembly (the unicameral Parliament). A presidential committee, installed by President Chandrikapersad Santokhi in November 2020, delivered a draft law on the Collective Rights of Indigenous Peoples and Tribal Peoples in Suriname, which was subsequently approved by the government and submitted to the National Assembly in June 2021. The National Assembly appointed an internal “commission of rapporteurs” which held a first consultative workshop in August 2021 and started “consultations” with the traditional authorities in December 2021. These consultations have not been extensive and have taken the form of introductory sessions with tribal leaders, requesting them to submit further input in writing. A reason for this approach, according to the commission, is that the current draft law builds on a previous draft that was put out to wide consultation during the previous administration.

VIDS, as well as various Maroon leaders, has stressed that the draft is far from perfect or sufficient but that legal recognition of the existence, and of the basic collective rights, of the Indigenous and Tribal peoples, in accordance with international standards, can be delayed no longer. The draft law is considered a framework law only, without operative details, and has umbrella provisions on the legal recognition of Indigenous Peoples and Tribal peoples, including the right to self-determination, to recognition of land rights and to traditionally used natural resources, to traditional authorities, free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) and benefit-sharing, culture and cultural integrity, effective participation and traditional knowledge, among others. Public discussions on the draft law are expected to start in February 2022. Although the political parties represented in Parliament have expressed their general support for legislation on the land and other rights of Indigenous and Tribal peoples (which is still lacking in Surinamese legislation), there is much debate to be expected on issues such as rights over natural resources, pre-existing third-party rights and outstanding demarcation of traditional lands.

Another much debated legislative issue is a draft amendment to the existing Law on the Principles of Domain Land Policy, which would make it possible for land leaseholders to convert their title to a full property title. This would make the return of such lands within traditional Indigenous or Tribal peoples’ territories even harder. VIDS issued a strong statement and petition to Parliament to suspend discussions on the draft amendment until after the (land) rights of the Indigenous Peoples had been secured. The draft amendment was also met with resistance from political parties (including within the coalition government) and other groups in light of their fear that it would enable large landowners, including foreigners, to take over thousands if not millions of hectares.

Female Indigenous Chiefs have been at the forefront of opposition to the aforementioned draft law on Land Conversion, which would allow the government to convert leasehold titles into property titles, even within Indigenous territories. The chiefs delivered a petition to Parliament in August expressing their concern at the draft law and the continued non-recognition of the rights of Indigenous Peoples.[ii] The discussions in Parliament were delayed but resumed in early 2022, spurring renewed resistance.

Indigenous village leaders from all over the country gathered in December 2021 to discuss these and other burning issues, during a VIDS “mini-conference” held in the village of Powakka. A resolution was adopted in which, aside from the abovementioned land rights’ issues, concerns were also expressed about a US$ 50m carbon offset deal between the government and Total Oil, which was not even mentioned to the traditional authorities even though the deal says it will benefit local communities. The non-transparent activities of well-known multinational environmental NGOs were also criticised, and strong concerns were again expressed regarding the ongoing mercury pollution of land and rivers by gold mining, legal and illegal deforestation, road construction and illegal airstrips in the interior. The traditional leaders also reiterated –for the umpteenth time– their demand for full implementation of the Kaliña & Lokono judgement of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights dating back to 2015 and still unfulfilled.[iii] The resolution was submitted to government and discussed during a high-level meeting with the President, Vice-President and others, resulting in some vague responses.

The human rights’ situation in the State of Suriname was reviewed by the Human Rights’ Council during its third Universal Periodic Review (UPR), held in November 2021.[iv] Numerous remarks and recommendations were made on (the lack of recognition of) the rights of Indigenous and Tribal peoples, including a joint submission by VIDS with Mulokot and Cultural Survival,[v] which was answered with no more than a few general comments by the State superficially describing ongoing processes.

COVID-19

Suriname was hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, particularly due to the widespread circulation of the Delta variant, reaching a regrettable position within the top 40 countries by highest deaths-per-million due to COVID-19.[vi] Indigenous Peoples were not spared and, as in the previous year, the incidence and also the fatality rate among Indigenous persons was significantly higher than among other ethnic groups. Among the deaths due to COVID-19 was the chairperson of VIDS, Chief Theo Jubitana.[vii] The Government of Suriname has meanwhile included VIDS in its deliberations on health and COVID-19 issues, and the head of a special convoy, sent by The Netherlands to Suriname in 2021 for COVID-19 assistance, met with VIDS to discuss more effective strategies, especially in relation to communications and vaccination.[viii] The  COVID-19 vaccination rate is low generally in Suriname, and even more so among Indigenous Peoples, due among other things to limited information, mistrust and a strong belief in traditional medicine.[ix]

Various Indigenous women and their organisations have started making face masks in an effort to limit the further spread of COVID-19 and create an alternative source of income at the same time.[x] Training in manufacturing the face masks in accordance with hygiene standards started in late 2021 although various villages had already been making masks through an earlier VIDS initiative.

Indigenous women and girls will also be the main actors in another initiative that has recently started. Together with the civil society organisation, Stichting Projekta, VIDS will be implementing a UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women-sponsored project aimed at strengthening local communities’ support mechanisms for Indigenous women and girls in the interior.[xi]

Other developments

The Paramount Chief of the Trio people in Suriname, granman Ashongo Alalaparoe, passed away in November 2021. Shortly before, he passed on his role to his successor, Jimmy Toeroemang.[xii]

Indigenous villages in Suriname, under the coordination and support of VIDS, will be developing regional FPIC protocols simultaneously with the Maroon organisation, KAMPOS. Although this initiative is part of a UNDP-coordinated REDD+ Readiness Project, it will serve many other and broader purposes, including in light of the expected new legislation on the collective rights of Indigenous and Tribal peoples in Suriname. The draft protocols will be subject to verification by the Indigenous communities in 2022.

The agricultural research institute CELOSs has signed a “TK-FPIC” agreement with Indigenous and Maroon villages that sets out the objectives and conditions for documenting and potentially publishing research on traditional food crops and their associated traditional knowledge (TK).[xiii]

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved a support package under its Extended Fund Facility (EFF) to the amount of USD 688 million over three years (with an immediate disbursement of USD 55.1m)[xiv] in support of the recovery and growth plan of the Surinamese government. The Indigenous traditional authority body VIDS expressed its concern that the economic adjustment measures would be felt hardest in the interior communities and requested special attention from the government to mitigate the impacts.[xv]

 

Max Ooft is Policy Officer at the Bureau of the Association of Indigenous Village Leaders in Suriname (Vereniging van Inheemse Dorpshoofden in Suriname, VIDS).

 

This article is part of the 36th edition of The Indigenous World, a yearly overview produced by IWGIA that serves to document and report on the developments Indigenous Peoples have experienced. The photo above is of Indigenous Women standing up and taking the lead in the land rights struggle of their community in Jharkhand, India. This photo was taken by Signe Leth, and is the cover of the Indigenous World 2022 where the article is featured. Find The Indigenous World 2022 in full here

 

Notes and references 

[i] The population is highly ethnically and religiously diverse, consisting of Hindustani (27.4%), Maroons (“Bush negroes”, 21.7%), Creoles (16%), Javanese (14%), mixed (13%), Indigenous Peoples (“Amerindians”, 3.8%) and Chinese (1.5%) (census 2012). At least 15 different languages are spoken on a daily basis in Suriname but the only official language is Dutch, while the lingua franca used in less formal conversations is Sranan Tongo (Surinamese).

[ii] De Nazionale Assemblée van de Republiek Suriname. “Inheemse vrouwelijke gezagdragers brengen zorgpunten onder aandacht DNA-voorzitter.” https://www.dna.sr/nieuws/inheemse-vrouwelijke-gezagdragers-brengen-zorgpunten-onder-aandacht-dna-voorzitter/

[iii] Inter-American Court of Human Rights. “Inter-American Court of Human Rights Case of the Kaliña and Lokono Peoples V. Suriname. Judgment of November 25, 2015. (Merits, Reparations and Costs).” http://www.corteidh.or.cr/docs/casos/articulos/seriec_309_ing.pdf

[iv] OHCHR. “Universal Periodic Review – Suriname. Third Cycle.” 2021. https://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/UPR/Pages/SRindex.aspx

[v] VIDS Facebook page. April 21, 2021. https://nl-nl.facebook.com/VIDSSuriname/posts/1557485747778451; The Mulokot Foundation, the Association of Village Leaders Suriname (VIDS), and Cultural Survival. “Observations on the State of Indigenous Human Rights in Suriname prepared for United Nations Human Rights Council: Universal Periodic Review. March 2021.” https://www.culturalsurvival.org/sites/default/files/UPR%20Suriname%202021_%20CS%20-MF-VIDS%20%281%29.pdf

[vi] Worldometer. “COVID-19 Corona Virus Pandemic.” https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/

[vii] VIDS Facebook page. July 26, 2021. https://www.facebook.com/VIDSSuriname/posts/1630472410479784?__cft__[0]=AZX5E4U0tGbPnMuUTZm6MmBftp4YCWOXayFEUSKDXfz__FImmjuUSvLzC5fI8imI5DC-9vh8fE5eU8Z1wMYBzMNXYQkl0qJ_dlUdlf6eHtFRTbuZT5JHlQf7oOjfKOCXFvQ3Yxl1-m6fyxCwDxjog4BEP1OB4-xerZjZ5wO5TiJ0JkW5FUIYOh8riO2cqC7NCds&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R

[viii] VIDS Facebook page. December 31, 2021. https://nl-nl.facebook.com/VIDSSuriname/posts/1742289662631391

[ix] VIDS. “Voorlichting over COVID-19 Vaccin Hoognodig.” VIDS, April 5, 2021. https://vids.sr/voorlichting-over-covid-19-vaccin-hoognodig/

[x] VIDS Facebook page. December 15, 2021. https://www.facebook.com/VIDSSuriname/posts/1731439510383073?__cft__[0]=AZWlaooHIVJJRV3xXZU2e3HuPNgjvt3rKYMMUbMKTkCa5-B988i_zDw6-XqhH5sS1MlpJ1zpKE94mLoj6056m9G7QImEZi7LYQy5DouNxjbgQ_dbjFn40Pybaa7f_vpBM0BHKas5Vuvq04_rRNioZFimmdXSELVYcsjhvE4HjhtXbY6U9qDLs5vrS-Ixh2KUmjE&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R

[xi] VIDS Facebook page. November 25, 2021. https://www.facebook.com/VIDSSuriname/videos/untf-projekta-vids-vids-en-projekta-slaan-handen-ineen-inheemsen-in-actie-tegen-/580557609901040/

[xii] VIDS Facebook page. September 17, 2021. https://www.facebook.com/VIDSSuriname/posts/1668099840050374?__cft__[0]=AZUbUWWikjCL6KFtIsmf1pi-sd4OL_HEGb11Y0T74WNjAoqG3CdPBbYeQuhDDWSV2Zl5Mg9-HNXLW20hFFv9pmgkfCeGryJBH0um6KXjJU4N2zqwMcRb01CK40rMo9xDs-ZfjdgB1vDiCQcQna-gXD7P9pgIQJf6jyf5xUOVFnuCD1M1CVKpQA0CHbE5KVreR-E&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R

[xiii] GFC Nieuws. “Inheemse dorpen en Celos slaan handen ineen voor duurzaam behoud traditionele gewassen.” GFC Nieuws, December 24, 2021. https://www.gfcnieuws.com/inheemse-dorpen-en-celos-slaan-handen-ineen-voor-duurzaam-behoud-traditionele-gewassen/

[xiv] International Monetary Fund (IMF). “IMF Executive Board Approves Extended Arrangement Under the Extended Fund Facility for Suriname.” IMF, December 22, 2021.  https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2021/12/22/pr21400-imf-executive-board-approves-extended-arrangement-under-the-extended-fund-facility-suriname#:~:text=Washington%2C%20DC%20%3A%20The%20Executive%20Board,or%20366.8%20percent%20of%20quota).

[xv] VIDS Facebook page. January 13, 2022. https://www.facebook.com/VIDSSuriname/posts/1751714728355551?__cft__[0]=AZVNnYXVAYL5zfirYSRz_P7O7me4p6pjhZHT2IqslbGQJUhhfS4uWkjoUOcCIj9YBODawtu_g0y7MjKT-FYxA9rMP1avnnZNIKjGOea_jM1EsLtBcOd5S9uzQHQ93uw4C0SMMbVG9jfj7K-rzFAGcnSJFpAnCQYocG35Z3dI3np094JfGo3trKuRp9r2ofaj7TE&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R

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