On August 10, a coalition of seven civil society organizations led by Suriname’s Stichting Mulokot issued a public appeal to President Jennifer Simons and the national government, calling for an immediate halt to the rushed enactment of the Wet Bescherming Woon- en Leefgebieden — widely known as the five-kilometer law. The coalition, which represents Indigenous and Tribal communities across Suriname, argues that the proposed legislation fails to deliver adequate protection for marginalized ethnic communities and risks creating another unnecessary delay to the long-overdue legal recognition of these groups’ collective land rights.
While the coalition acknowledges the stated goal of the bill — safeguarding the living environments of Indigenous and Tribal communities — it stresses that the legislation does not address the core issue of formalizing collective land rights, a longstanding demand from these communities. Beyond this fundamental gap, the groups also criticize the law’s five-kilometer protected zone framework as deeply inadequate. Traditional Indigenous and Tribal territories are not rigid circular boundaries centered on village cores, they explain: hunting grounds, fishing areas, subsistence farm plots, sacred sites, and other culturally and economically critical lands often extend far beyond this arbitrary five-kilometer limit.
The organizations also raised sharp concerns about the slow progress the Surinamese state has made in fulfilling its obligations stemming from binding rulings by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights on Indigenous land rights. They emphasize that enacting a temporary piece of legislation like the five-kilometer law must not be used as an excuse to further postpone the formal recognition of full collective land rights for affected communities.
A core principle highlighted in the appeal is that no decisions impacting the territories of Indigenous and Tribal peoples can be considered legitimate without the full, meaningful participation of these communities. The international standard of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), the coalition stresses, must be fully respected in this process. Communities need sufficient time and space to conduct internal deliberations and formalize their own collective positions before any legislation is advanced.
These concerns are rooted in Suriname’s own political history, the groups note. Decades of experience have shown that narrow political and commercial interests have often been prioritized over the public good, including the rights of Indigenous and Tribal groups. For this reason, the coalition argues that land rights must not be reduced to a political bargaining chip, and protection of these rights must not be dependent on the shifting priorities of sitting administrations.
In place of rushed enactment, the coalition is calling on President Simons and her government to first complete a comprehensive, meaningful consultation process with all impacted Indigenous and Tribal communities before moving forward with any legislation. The groups also demand that the government release a clear, binding timeline for implementing the Inter-American Court of Human Rights rulings and delivering full legal recognition of collective land rights.
“We do not accept a temporary fix that only delays a permanent solution,” the statement reads. “We demand recognition of our rights, protection of our traditional territories, and respect for our voice.”
The appeal was signed by Stichting Mulokot on behalf of all six partner organizations: the Organisatie van Inheemsen in Suriname (OIS), SCV Juku Jume Maro, Stichting Key Holders of Sustainable Environment, Vereniging van Saamaka Gemeenschappen, Making Waves, and Inheems Kollectief Suriname (IKSur).