Happy Monday!

This week we cover protests by farmers in the district of Nickerie, the seizing of several firearms by the police as the country addresses its crime issue, and the sentencing of activist, Stefano ‘Pakittow‘ Biervliet after protests that took place in February 2023 that led to unrest in the city.

This past week, the country was beset under numerous protests by farmers in the district Nickerie.

• Paddy farmers in Nieuw Nickerie are protesting the SRD 60 million government compensation for weather-related losses, claiming it's insufficient and based on incorrect data.

• The farmers argue that only 17,000 hectares were sown, not the 30,000 hectares cited by the government. They are dissatisfied with the offered SRD 2,000 per hectare, as their costs exceed SRD 12,000 per hectare.

• The government has promised to begin payments in mid-August through banks, but the farmers demand a higher compensation.

• The farmers set up barricades at Henar Bridge in Nickerie while also protesting at Brassa Plein, demonstrating the scale of their dissatisfaction.

• They rejected talks with Agriculture Minister Parmanand Sewdien stating that they would only negotiate with President Chan Santokhi or Vice President Ronnie Brunswijk.

• Support from National Assembly members, including Niesha Jhakry, Mahinder Jogi, and others, emphasized the need for more substantial compensation and addressed mismanagement and corruption within the Ministry of Agriculture.

• They argued that the issues were caused by the inefficacy and corruption within the Ministry of Agriculture rather than climate change. They called for better support and transparency in addressing the farmers' needs.

• Over 100 farmers will meet President Santokhi in Paramaribo, with suggestions to reallocate funds for machinery to compensate the farmers, hoping for a resolution that will allow production to resume.

• They argue for SRD 10,000 compensation per hectare instead of the offered SRD 2,000 per hectare.

Suriname continues to struggle with the number of criminal offenses throughout the country.

• The police have recently confiscated numerous illegal firearms, including heavy weapons, and are working to trace their origins with regional and international cooperation.

• Chief of Police Bryan Isaacs and Director of Policy Preparation and Management Rishi Akkal highlighted that all illegal firearms in Suriname come from outside the country, making this a cross-border crime.

• Suspects are interrogated to find the sources of the weapons. Data on these weapons is then shared digitally to help trace their origins.

• The effort is part of broader cooperation with Interpol and other countries to combat organized crime and gun violence, which is on the rise in South America and Caricom countries.

• The presence of illegal firearms in untrained hands is a significant safety concern.

Stefano ‘Pakittow’ Biervliet was sentenced to 400 days in prison for unrest that arose from the February 17, 2023 protests.

• Judge Ishwardat Sonai sentenced Stefano ‘Pakittow’ Biervliet for incitement and attempted aggravated assault, and Ashwin Ramharak for attempted aggravated assault, with suspended sentences contingent on not committing any crimes in the next two years.

• The February 17, 2023, protest led by Biervliet resulted in violence, including storming the Assembly building, setting fires, and injuring people.

• Ramharak drove a sound truck into a police cordon. Biervliet received a 400-day sentence with 391 days suspended, and Ramharak got 180 days with 156 suspended, both with time served deducted.

• They will remain free unless they commit another crime within two years. The judge emphasized the importance of not committing criminal offenses during demonstrations. Both men can appeal the verdict.

Suriname’s Constitutional Court has invalidated the increase of an election deposit fee that was set by the National Assembly to SRD 1 million.

• The Constitutional Court of Suriname has invalidated a 1,000% increase in the election deposit fee, originally set by the National Assembly.

• This ruling requires the legislature to either revoke or amend the fee. The petition, supported by several political parties, argued that the fee of nearly SRD 1 million is too high, limiting election participation.

• The court reviewed the increase against constitutional and human rights standards and found it lacked a clear justification and was disproportionately high.

• The ruling highlights the discriminatory impact of such a fee on smaller parties and stresses the importance of upholding fundamental democratic rights.