Suriname Moves to Evict Mennonite Settlers From Its Rainforest Interior
Suriname · Environment Key Facts Action President Jennifer Geerlings-Simons announced a crackdown on 4 August 2026 against Mennonite-linked settlers and other illegal land occupiers in Suriname’s interior. Notices Bailiff-delivered eviction notices (deurwaardersexploten) have been issued; illegal residents face deportation. Scale The government is reversing prior land allocations covering several…
Suriname’s newly elected president has initiated evictions and a probe to address unauthorized forest clearing by Mennonite settlers and others in the country’s interior rainforest. President Jennifer Geerlings-Simons announced on August 4, 2026, that her government will not permit illegal settlement or deforestation in the interior, issuing eviction notices to Mennonite settlers and other land occupiers.
A special task force comprising government officials, police, attorneys, and forest rangers has been established to investigate violations and enforce the law. The move represents a significant shift from previous land policies that allocated large areas of primary forest for agricultural development. The government is reversing land transfers from the previous administration involving hundreds of thousands of hectares that had been designated for agriculture.
The crackdown focuses on illegal settlement and deforestation, not the Mennonite community as a whole. Legal farming is permitted in the coastal zone, while the interior rainforest will be protected. The administration aims to clarify the distinction between legal agricultural activity and illegal rainforest settlement.
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