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Countries Appendix SURINAME (94.4%) Suriname's extensive forest cover and low population, (about 400,000) concentrated in the capital and coastal cities, give it one of the lowest deforestation rates in the world. In the rainforest lives 5% of the population, made up of indigenous peoples and six tribes of Maroons-descendants of escaped slaves who have recreated forest communities centuries ago and today retain their traditional west African style (ironic since West Africa's rainforests are depleted). Conflicts between the coastal population and the natives of the forested interior manifested themselves in a bloody six year civil war that was resolved in 1992 with the signing of a peace treaty. Under the treaty, the interior and indigenous populations have the right to their indigenous lands and to control economic activity on those lands. Despite being ranked by the World Bank as among the 17 potentially richest countries in the world given its gold, oil, diamond, and other natural resources, in the early 1990's Suriname was in a dire economic situation. Suriname had virtually no international trade, dilapidated industries, no foreign aid, and budget spending exceeding revenues by 150%. In the past three years, the rainforests become immediately threatened as the government - which owns virtually all forest land - has granted huge concessions to timber and mining companies in the pristine forests and domain of the indigenous population. The Suriname government, plagued by corruption, granted concessions to Malaysian and Indonesian timber firms to log over 25% of Suriname which translates to about 7.5 million acres (3 million hectares). The terms of the agreement, full of loopholes, grants the land at less than $35 an acre ($262 m for 7.5 m acres) and will cause Suriname to lose ten of millions of dollars each year in potential revenues. While loggers stand to make more than US$28 million annually for the next 25 years, Suriname will only get US$2 million annually. According to experts, the only profitable way to log regions in Suriname is by clear-cutting. Good news came in August of 1995, when negotiations with MUSA (Indonesia) were halted. MUSA, which has hoped to log 15-25 million acres (6-10 million hectares) of Suriname's forest, will not be able to log an additional 2.7 million acre (1.1 million hectare) concession. Widespread protests from an indigenous-maroon coalition, environmentalists, and the local timber industry helped foil the deal. MUSA will continue logging in its other concessions where it reportedly violates various existing forestry regulations, but has cozy connections with legislators. On October 7, 1997 the government established a forestry project to monitor and control logging in addition to setting aside new protected areas. The controversy and pressure inspired by the plan to hand out 7.5-12.5 million acres (3-5 million hectares) of forest to Berjaya, MUSA, and Suri Atlantic in 1995 have made the government very cautious about handing granting logging concessions. Mining concessions to Golden Star Resources of Canada, the same company responsible for the Guyana cyanide spill, have been granted in the interior of Suriname. The company has forced the eviction of thousands of local people from the region and has reportedly fired on Maroons who protested the operation. There are sustainable means for Guyana to use its forests. For example, the trade of rattan-like vines for furniture is increasing. There is tremendous potential for ecotourism and In 1994 Suriname entered into a bioprospecting contract with Bristol-Myers Squibb, a US pharmaceutical company. Reportedly, the agreement will provide royalties from any derived drug to local peoples. Mittermier estimates that revenue from drug sales would bring in far more than logging for the people of Suriname. In 1998 the government announced its plan to protect 10% of the country's forest, about 4 million acres (1.6 million ha). . . . . . For current information I highly recommend trying the CIA and FAO links below. CIA-World Factbook Profile FAO-Forestry Profile |
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