Indigenous and tribal peoples' rights under threat in Suriname

For over 300 years, the Saamaka people of Suriname have lived in harmony with the Amazon rainforest, protecting 1.4 million hectares of biodiversity. But their land and rights are under constant threat.

Although in 2007 the Inter-American Court of Human Rights ruled in favour of the Saamaka, ordering the government to stop exploitation, demarcate their territory and legally recognise their collective land rights, the authorities have refused to do so.

In the meantime, the destruction of their ancestral territory has continued. Geospatial data presented in the LandMark report revealed the devastating impact of illegal mining and logging: between June and September 2024, the loss of forest cover grew by 57%.

Now, the Surinamese government has introduced alarming amendments to the draft law on collective rights of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples. The amendment denies them collective ownership of land, forces them to register as legal persons and ignores international standards. If passed, the law will strip them of their rights and open their lands to further exploitation.

The Saamaka people are determined to defend their territory, and they need the support of each of us.

We share the statement of VSG, the Association of Saamaka Traditional Authorities, calling to reject this harmful amendment and ensure that the rights of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples are fully recognised and protected.