Uncertainty mounts as Suriname struggles to evict illegal settlers in the Amazon
The government in Suriname this year said it planned to evict illegal settlers in the Amazon Rainforest, and possibly send many of them back to their home countries. But eviction has proven much more complicated than it first appeared, with settlers allegedly ignoring court orders and officials expressing confusion about which people are breaking what […]
Suriname's government had initially planned to evict illegal settlers in the Amazon Rainforest this year, potentially sending many of them back to their home countries. However, the process has proven far more challenging than anticipated, with settlers allegedly disregarding court orders and officials expressing uncertainty about the legality of the settlements.
President Jennifer Geerlings-Simons has formed a task force to investigate these illegal settlements, which are primarily composed of Mennonites relocating from other countries. Despite the issuance of eviction notices in July, some settlers deny receiving them and continue to expand their holdings. Lawmakers have expressed confusion regarding the locations of these Mennonite communities, the legal procedures for removal, and the circumstances of their entry into the country.
Rabindre Parmessar, leader of the National Democratic Party in the National Assembly, stated that they have received piecemeal information about the influx of families and are unsure whether immigration rules were involved. Agribusiness investors have been attempting to relocate Mennonite farming families from Bolivia, Belize, and other parts of the Americas since at least 2022.
This conservative Christian group is known for its rapid farming development and would have contributed to the deforestation of hundreds of thousands of hectares of primary rainforest.
Written by urgent.news from Mongabay's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
