FORKED TONGUE DIPLOMACY

Suriname can be considered one of the safest countries on the South American continent, working hard to maintain its independence, while International Monetary Fund specialists are reporting on our progress to restructure our economy amidst ongoing global economic crises. International isolation of Suriname has traditionally been the result of Dutch colonial policies which aimed at exploiting Surinamese natural and human resources and  at keeping the Surinamese people  unaware of  international developments towards ending slave trade, abolishing slavery, and National Independence. Unfortunately more recently  national and international efforts seem to have isolation of Suriname on top of their agenda, if not intentionally then certainly as a byproduct of political machinations.  Just as Suriname's government is stepping up efforts to widen the international scope of its activities, searching new  partners for cooperation and diversifying production and  export in the fields of agriculture,fisheries, mining, tourism and  trade, the Canadian government surprised friend and foe with a warning for Canadian nationals not to visit Suriname for 'safety' reasons. The immediate response of the Surinamese government illustrated the negative impact such a statement of a so-called 'friendly nation' can have on Suriname. A quick look at international charts and statistics concerning safe countries in the world puts Suriname close to Canada when it comes to safety, so what could have triggered this unexpected warning from Canada?

A keen observer of international political and economic developments in the world at large and South America in particular, must have noticed the impact of the devaluation of oil and gold prices on  the economies of Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela  Guyana and Suriname. The manipulation of oil and gold prices on the global markets  has heavily cut the economic revenues of these developing nations, causing Suriname to accept financial help from the International Monetary Fund under strict conditions. The loss of financial revenues and continued pressure from abroad on progressive political parties and policies has resulted in unprecedented food shortages in Venezuela, toppling of governments in Brazil and Argentina and now Canada wants the world to believe that Suriname and its neighbor Guyana are not safe to travel to.

In Suriname the opposition in parliament has repeatedly called for Desiree Bouterse's government  to step down and categorically refuses to  accept President Bouterse's invitation to step up efforts to unitedly tackle the economic problems the nation faces. In spite of Bouterse's clear cut victory during 2015 democratic elections, the so-called  "We Are Tired" activists in Suriname also echo the opposition's  demand  for the end of Bouterse's reign. The small group of activists seems to have ample foreign financial support (mainly from the Netherlands and USA) to carry out street protests and continued media attacks on  every effort the government undertakes to mobilize the  population towards  austerity and economic recovery programs.

The most recent legal developments have added fuel to the flames in Suriname's legal and judiciary circles because Suriname's military court decided to ignore the legal Amnesty  provisions for President Bouterse. The Military Court's decision to honor the demands of a select group of relatives of Bouterse's opponents  who died  during the December 8th,1982 events in Fort Zeelandia in Paramaribo, has paved the way to prosecute president Bouterse for his involvement in these events and has created a constitutional dilemma for the residing government. Can judges of the military court decide to sidestep the Amnesty law which was legalized by Suriname's national assembly? Will the government of Suriname deny the right of independent judges to interpret our national laws as they see fit? These questions  need answers  which  are part of Suriname's post independence, post revolution, legal , political and social climate in a  democracy which is searching for   innovation  after centuries of colonial domination and exploitation. 

Old map of Dutch plantations on the  Saramacca river. 

The continued flow of negative and subversive messages from a select group of  Surinamese about their own country and from foreigners about Suriname does not contribute in any way to improving Suriname's situation nationally and internationally. I am inclined to say that the negative output and continued pressure on the people of Suriname  is organized from abroad and has a definite anti-progressive agenda, geared at deliberately breaking the development policies in Suriname. The regional and national political and social unrest is part of a conscious policy to deprive  the peoples in this region of all programs of social equality and change. This aggressive policy is moving towards reinstalling traditional conservative pro western political puppets in former colonies with the typical fascist and racist characteristics we know too well in South America. One thing is definitely true, Canada is unsafe for its indigenous peoples who are murdered on a daily basis and whose lands are
confiscated by the State. The Dutch royalty used to hide in the 'safe haven' Canada during World War II till it was 'safe enough' for them to return to the people they had left to fight Nazi Germany. Today Canada has shoved Suriname on its own heap of unsafe nations but has not stopped the Canadian firm I AM GOLD which is mining the precious  gold ore in Suriname, from profiting from our natural resources. The double standards which the so called 'enlightened' western 'axis of power' applies when it comes to Suriname and Latin America, are illustrated by Canada's forked tongue diplomacy; Suriname is suposedly 'unsafe' but  Canada's I Am Gold multi national  can carry on extracting gold from Suriname. Eldorado is revisited in the 21st century  and Suriname is one of the nations in the famous Guyana basin whose gold  is coveted by Canadians this time. At the end of the day it is up to the people of Surname  to create a safe environment to live and thrive as a nation.    We can be sure that a country that is safe enough for a Canadian gold digger, must be safe enough for the rest of the world.

Any tourist should remember Suriname will always be safer than any Canadian metropole. I live in Suriname without fear and invite tourists to come and visit our peaceful country and enjoy the unspoilt natural beauty of Suriname.

Martha Tjoe Nij  June 20 - 2016