The Indigenous World 2025: Suriname

Written on 25 April 2025. Posted in Suriname

The Indigenous Peoples of Suriname number approximately 20,344 people, or 3.8% of the total population of 541,638^[1] (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, mostly 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 recognize Indigenous or Tribal Peoples, and Suriname has no legislation governing Indigenous and Tribal Peoples’ land or other rights, in spite of various judgments of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights to develop and implement such legislation. 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 favor of adopting the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) in 2007.

This article is part of the 39^th 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 an Indigenous activist Funa-ay Claver, a Bontok Igorot, standing alongside Indigenous youth activists and others. They are protesting against the repressive laws and human rights violations suffered through the actions and projects of the Government of the Philippines and other actors against Indigenous Peoples at President Marcos Jr’s national address on 22 July 2024 in Quezon City, Philippines. The photo was taken by Katribu Kalipunan ng Katutubong Mamamayan ng Pilipinas and is the cover of The Indigenous World 2025 where this article is featured. Find The Indigenous World 2025 in full here

Legislative developments

The draft framework law^[2] on the Collective Rights of Indigenous Peoples and Tribal Peoples in Suriname did not see any further (visible) progress in 2024, after initial discussions of an amended draft in the National Assembly (the unicameral parliament) in 2023. The government had announced in August 2023 that a revised version would be submitted to Parliament after various political parties raised objections and questions on the draft in the first round of discussions. A year later, in August 2024, it was again stated that the draft would be submitted “within a few weeks” but, as of January 2025, this has not been done. In January 2025, Vice-President Ronnie Brunswijk was appointed to lead a team of ministers to pull this matter forward, saying that it would be submitted by the end of January 2025 and approved before the upcoming elections of May 2025.^{[3], [4]} VIDS, the Association of Indigenous Village Leaders in Suriname, has expressed its concern that a newly revised version of the draft law may be a watered-down version that is not up to international standards nor to the requirements of the various applicable judgments of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, more particularly the Moiwana (2005)^[5], Saramaka (2007)^[6] and Kaliña & Lokono cases (2015).^[7]

An important court decision was taken by a cantonal court in Suriname during the year, in relation to an imminent issuing of land lease titles to facilitate the potential settlement of Mennonites in Suriname. Concerned communities and organizations started a short procedure against the State, which was suspected of providing land titles to intermediary organizations in order to facilitate Mennonite settlers within Indigenous and tribal territories. The judge, without referring specifically to Mennonites, condemned the State “…to, before taking a decision to grant third parties the right to land lease to engage in economic activities in the residential and hunting areas of indigenous peoples and/or tribal peoples, to include them in the decision-making process in order to obtain informed consent”.^[8] The said concessions were therefore not issued. Through a private investor in the same area, however, at least seven Mennonite families coming from Bolivia settled there in December 2024, supposedly as employees of his pig farm.^{[9], [10]} The aforementioned judgment was later also quoted by VIDS to demand free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) for Indigenous communities in West Suriname before the State takes a decision to provide a mining concession to the Chinese aluminum mining company Chinalco (see below).

The Bureau of the Association of Saamaka Communities (VSG) and the 12 Los of the Saramaka tribal people of Suriname have requested, through their lawyer Nailah van Dijk, that the Constitutional Court of Suriname reviews a number of articles of existing laws for their potential conflict with the Constitution of Suriname and/or international treaties binding upon everyone (in particular human rights treaties). The lawyer has requested the review of a number of articles in land policy and land issuing laws and in the Mining Decree of Suriname. If the Constitutional Court finds these articles to be in conflict with Suriname’s international human rights obligations, the effect will be that these articles can no longer be applied, which would have an enormous impact on the current State’s refusal to recognize and respect Indigenous and Tribal Peoples’ collective property rights to land, as enshrined in, among others, judgments of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. A date for delivering the Constitutional Court’s findings has not been mentioned but is expected to take several months;^[11] the court will first start a process of reviewing the admissibility of the request.^[12]

Five Indigenous men who stood up against mining concessions and logging in Indigenous territories in May 2023 have been sentenced to eight years in prison. The men had set fire to trucks carrying logs and also raided the State-owned mining company Grassalco, which operates in the territory of the villages of Pikin Saron and Bigi Poika and prohibits villagers from entering or crossing the concession area en route to their agricultural plots. The judge did not consider the arguments of the defense lawyers that the men had acted in response to decades of discrimination, torture and a lack of protection and legal recourse under Surinamese law, which does not recognize Indigenous Peoples nor their right to collective ownership of their territories, in spite of judgments from the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. On the contrary, the public prosecutor and the judge argued that these men were guilty of 18 criminal crimes, exposing the increasing trend of criminalization of Indigenous Peoples in Suriname.^[13] The defense lawyers have announced they will appeal the judgment.

Carbon trading by Suriname

VIDS, the body for all Indigenous village leaders in Suriname, and KAMPOS Foundation (Kwinti, Aluku, Matawai, Paamaka, Okanisi, Saamaka), the coordination structure for Tribal Peoples in Suriname, have demanded an immediate halt to further steps by the Surinamese government to sell carbon credits without Indigenous and Tribal Peoples’ consent and effective participation in policy development and implementation. In July 2024, the government presented its “Suriname’s National Guidelines on Carbon Credit Development and Trading” and also announced the sale of Internationally Transferred Mitigation Outcomes (ITMOs)^[14] under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. The aforementioned National Guidelines also outlined a governance structure, benefit-sharing mechanism and future carbon sale projects, all without the informed consent of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples, who made their objections clear in a statement sent to the government in August 2024.^[15] The Government of Suriname also erroneously announced the Green Climate Fund’s (GCF) imminent funding^[16] of USD 80 million as financial compensation for “REDD+ results units” over the period 2018-2020. The announcement by the government was promptly corrected by the GCF, which said the information was incorrect and premature because Suriname had not even submitted a concept note that could, after a formal application, be assessed on all applicable criteria and policies of the GCF, including environmental and social safeguards.^[17]

Chinalco mining in Indigenous territory

Suriname, in particular the Indigenous communities of West Suriname, was taken by surprise^[18] by the government’s announcement that it would sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Chinese aluminum mining company Chinalco. The MOU was signed on Suriname's Independence Day, 25 November 2024, and was met with immediate criticism from a range of civil society actors and independent experts,^{[19], [20]} including the Surinamese Association of Economists^{[21], [22]} who criticized the draft agreement on various grounds, including its economic, environmental and human rights impacts and disadvantages. VIDS,^[23] as well as the Indigenous villages of West Suriname,^[24] demanded an immediate halt to any further steps in relation to the intended mining activities. VIDS also issued an exhortation letter to the State citing a judgment of 2023 in which the judge had summoned the government to get the informed consent of the involved Indigenous and Tribal communities before deciding to issue a land title in their territories.^[25] The Attorney-General of Suriname, who received this letter as the representative of the State, subsequently forwarded it to various Cabinet Ministers warning them not to undertake activities that could harm the government.^[26] At the time of writing this article, President Chan Santokhi had submitted the Chinalco deal to the National Assembly of Suriname for approval but it had not yet been tabled for public discussion.

In general, it can be concluded that the challenges and threats facing Indigenous and Tribal Peoples’ rights in Suriname, and the environment in general, are fast increasing with the general elections coming up in May 2025 and a zealous government wanting to showcase “development achievements”, at the expense of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples’ rights, not to mention the vastly discriminatory situations such as widespread mercury and cyanide pollution of rivers and deep gaps in education and healthcare for the villages in the forested interior of Suriname.

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 39^th 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 an Indigenous activist Funa-ay Claver, a Bontok Igorot, standing alongside Indigenous youth activists and others. They are protesting against the repressive laws and human rights violations suffered through the actions and projects of the Government of the Philippines and other actors against Indigenous Peoples at President Marcos Jr’s national address on 22 July 2024 in Quezon City, Philippines. The photo was taken by Katribu Kalipunan ng Katutubong Mamamayan ng Pilipinas and is the cover of The Indigenous World 2025 where this article is featured. Find The Indigenous World 2025 in full here

Notes and references 

^[1] 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).

^[2] President of the Republic of Suriname. “Subject: Presentation of the Collective Rights of Indigenous and Tirbal Peoples Act.” 15 June 2021. https://dna.sr/media/322328/21_899__Pres._Sur.___Aanb._Wet_Collectieve_Rechten_Inheemse_en_Tribale_Volken.pdf

^[3] Dagblad Suriname. “VP Brunswijk take it upon himself to resolve and complete the land rights issue.” 18 January 2025. https://www.dbsuriname.com/2025/01/18/vp-brunswijk-neemt-het-op-zich-om-grondenrechten-vraagstuk-vlot-te-trekken-en-af-te-ronden/

^[4] Key News. “Governing Council discusses land rights and preparations for 2025 elections.” 10 January 2025. https://keynews.sr/regeringsraad-bespreekt-grondenrechten-en-voorbereidingen-voor-verkiezingen-2025/

^[5] Inter-American Court of Human Rights. Case of the Moiwana Commnunity v. Suriname. Judgment of 15 June 2005. https://www.corteidh.or.cr/docs/casos/articulos/seriec_124_ing.pdf

^[6] Inter-American Court of Human Rights. Case of the Saramake People v. Suriname. Judgment of 28 November 2007. https://www.corteidh.or.cr/docs/casos/articulos/seriec_172_ing.pdf

^[7] Inter-American Court of Human Rights. Case of the Kaliña and Lokono Peoples v. Suriname. Judgment of 25 November 2015. https://www.corteidh.or.cr/docs/casos/articulos/seriec_309_ing.pdf

^[8] Suriname Jurisdiction, Civil Cases Courts, Summary Proceedings Unit. 16 May 2024. https://www.starnieuws.com/index.php/beyond_files/get_file/6c60e32effcb8c5eac90c20fe38ee9de.pdf

^[9] Snijders, Armand. “Mennonites are not easily chased out of Suriname.” Reformatorisch Dagblad, 9 December 2024. https://www.rd.nl/artikel/1087710-mennonieten-laten-zich-niet-zo-snel-uit-suriname-jagen

^[10] Star Nieuws. “Mennonites welcomed by Suriname Pig Farms.” 1 December 2024. https://www.starnieuws.com/index.php/welcome/index/nieuwsitem/83941

^[11] Star Nieuws. Chairman CHoF makes secretary available to minister.” 31 January 2025. https://www.starnieuws.com/index.php/welcome/index/nieuwsitem/84802

^[12] Star Nieuws. “Van Djik asks CHof to test Chapter 5 of the Constitution.” 11 December 2024. https://www.starnieuws.com/index.php/welcome/index/nieuwsitem/84094

^[13] Star Nieuws. “Press Judge: 18 Criminal Offences in Pikin Saron Case.” 18 January 2025. https://www.starnieuws.com/index.php/welcome/index/nieuwsitem/84619

^[14] PR Newswire. “ITMO Ltd and BancTrust Investment Bank Limited Announce the Offering of the World’s First Sovereign Carbon Credits from the Republic of Suriname under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.” 23 August 2024. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/itmo-ltd-and-banctrust-investment-bank-limited-announce-the-offering-of-the-worlds-first-sovereign-carbon-credits-from-the-republic-of-suriname-under-article-6-of-the-paris-agreement-302229184.html

^[15] VIDS. “Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Demand End to Carbon Credit Agreements.” 9 September 2024. https://vids.sr/carbon-credits-inheemse-rechten-suriname/

^[16] Government of Suriname, Ministry of Spatial Planning and the Environment. “Suriname ready for green financial injection: REDD+ program opens doors to USD 80 million.” https://gov.sr/suriname-klaar-voor-groene-financiele-injectie-redd-programma-opent-deuren-naar-80-miljoen-usd/

^[17] Wong, MP. “Green Climate Fund responds to incorrect reporting about financing to Suriname.” GFC News, 2 December 2024. https://www.gfcnieuws.com/green-climate-fund-reageert-op-onjuiste-berichtgeving-over-financiering-aan-suriname/

^[18] Star Nieuws. “Breaking: Government signs bauxite deal with Chinalco.” 25 November 2024. https://www.starnieuws.com/index.php/welcome/index/nieuwsitem/83845

^[19] Radwin, Maxwell. “Plans for bauxite mine in Suriname reignite Indigenous land rights debate.” Mongabay, 16 January2025. https://news.mongabay.com/2025/01/plans-for-bauxite-mine-in-suriname-reignite-indigenous-land-rights-debate/#:~:text=A%20memorandum%20of%20understanding%20was,waiting%20on%20a%20parliament%20vote

^[20] Star Nieuws. “With Undue Haste: Curious Haste Surrounding a Bauxite Deal.” 5 January 2025. https://www.starnieuws.com/index.php/welcome/index/nieuwsitem/84447

^[21] Wong, MP. “VES calls for suspension of MoU with Chinalco.” GFC News, 24 December 2024. https://www.gfcnieuws.com/ves-roept-op-tot-opschorting-van-mou-met-chinalco/

^[22] VES. “VES response to the news articles of the Presidential Commission 'Development West Suriname Bakhuis Bauxite.” 6 January 2025. https://www.starnieuws.com/index.php/beyond_files/get_file/086b97f295d3feae243d3c315610fe94.pdf

^[23] Star Nieuws. “VIDS: Immediately stop all activities in West Suriname.” 5 December 2025. https://www.starnieuws.com/index.php/welcome/index/nieuwsitem/84001

^[24] Star Nieuws. “Indigenous villages West Suriname: MOU Chinalco must be put on hold.” 11 December 2025. https://www.starnieuws.com/index.php/welcome/index/nieuwsitem/84093

^[25] Op cit., Suriname Jurisdiction.

^[26] Star Nieuws. “VIDS: Pg asks ministers to prevent damage in bauxite deal.” 13 January2025. https://www.starnieuws.com/index.php/welcome/index/nieuwsitem/84562

Tags: Land rights, Business and Human Rights