By R. Renee Yaworsky
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

PARAMARIBO, Suriname—According to a human rights expert from the United Nations, Suriname’s government and authorities have not been engaging in enough dialogue with indigenous citizens.  The expert is seeking to encourage necessary dialogue between officials and indigenous groups.  It is hoped that this communication will strengthen indigenous communities’ rights to resources and land in certain forested areas within Suriname.

The UN expert is James Anaya, the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples.  Anaya recently ended a four-day visit to Suriname where he attended meetings with indigenous and tribal groups, senior officials in President Desi Bouterse’s government, and UN staff members.  This trip marked the first time an independent expert designated by the UN Human Rights Council ever visited Suriname.

On Thursday, Anaya released a statement in Paramaribo, Suriname’s capital, noting that increased dialogue between indigenous groups and government officials should facilitate “practical steps necessary to move forward with securing indigenous and tribal land rights, in accordance with relevant international treaties to which Suriname is a part.”

The UN expert commented that his visit had been “fruitful and constituted a unique and valuable opportunity for dialogue and consultation.”  He promised to collaborate with both Suriname’s government and the indigenous groups to aid their communication with regards to land and resource rights.  There has been no immediate official comment by Suriname’s government.

Several years ago, the Saramaka indigenous people brought a case against Suriname to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.  In 2007, the Court ruled in the Saramaka group’s favor, giving them collective rights to ancestral lands where they had lived for many years.  The Court also granted the indigenous group other rights to resources in the area.

For more information, please see:

Modern Ghana-UN rights expert urges greater dialogue between Suriname and indigenous groups-18 March 2011

Taiwan News-Expert: Suriname, tribal groups must engage more-18 March 2011

UN News Centre-UN rights expert urges greater dialogue between Suriname and indigenous groups-17 March 2011