A Surinamese business leader has thrown his support behind a coordinated government crackdown on unauthorized residency in the country’s interior mining region, framing the action as a long-awaited step toward consistent enforcement of rules against illegal activity across the natural resources sector.
Lionel Blokland, chief executive of Braganza Marketing Group NV, shared his perspective in an interview with local outlet Starnieuws, following an official announcement from Surinamese law enforcement. Police have ordered all individuals residing without proper permits in the Masonia area, located in the Sipaliwini district, to evacuate the site by 8 a.m. local time on Friday, October 23. If the order is not followed voluntarily, authorities have confirmed they will carry out a forced evacuation jointly with the Surinamese National Army.
Among the groups present in the targeted area is an encampment of Mennonite settlers. Prior field research conducted by Surinamese environmental organization ProBios confirmed that the camp sits outside the boundaries of the mining concession it was initially linked to. Police have clarified that the eviction order applies to all unauthorized residents, not solely the Mennonite community in the area.
Blokland emphasized that he welcomes the government’s decisive action in the region, saying, “Hopefully this will also lead to a solution for broader issues. I hope that this swift action is just the start of clearing out those operating illegally across the entire mining sector, and the beginning of consistent policy on immigration matters overall. That is something I fully support.”
Blokland’s comments come as his own company navigates the final stages of regulatory approval for two large-scale agricultural projects in Tibiti and Kabalebo, which are developed in partnership with Mennonite farming groups. The initiative plans to produce staple commodity crops including corn and soy for regional and international markets.
According to Blokland, the residency permits for the Mennonite farmers participating in the Braganza-led projects have already received formal approval, though remaining administrative formalities are still being finalized at the Surinamese Immigration Department. The company is also putting the final touches on its mandatory environmental impact assessment, a key document required to secure full operational authorization.
Blokland stressed that approval of residency permits does not equate to clearance for all project activities, noting that full compliance with national agricultural regulations and environmental procedural requirements is still needed before large-scale production can launch.
The proposed partnership between Braganza and Mennonite agricultural groups has sparked widespread public debate in Suriname in recent months, with critics raising questions about land rights, potential deforestation, regulatory compliance, and the role of foreign participants in the large-scale development project. Blokland told reporters he remains optimistic that all outstanding procedural steps will be completed soon, allowing the project to move forward to development.