SURINAME-Police issue evacuation order to illegal miners.

PARAMARIBO, Suriname, CMC – The Suriname Police Force (KPS) has given illegal miners until Friday to leave the areas of the Chinese-owned Zijin/Rosebel Gold Mines (RGM), where a fatal accident recently occurred.

The police said that the area must be completely vacated by 8:00 am (local time) on Friday and that all illegal miners must dismantle their camps, take all personal belongings and materials with them. They said after the evacuation, the area must remain empty.

But one legislator, Edgar Sampie, is asking the authorities to reconsider the position, warning of the social consequences of a forced evacuation.

Sampie, a member of the General Liberation and Development Party (ABOP), which is one of five parties that signed an agreement with the National Democratic Party (NDP) to form the government last year, said many gold miners have worked in the area for years and have made significant investments.

“There are people who have built houses, purchased machinery, and see this work as their permanent source of income,” Sampie told the online publication, Starnieuws, adding that the proceeds from the mine have been used to provide for their families, pay school fees, pay off debts, and build their futures.

“Some even have cars on installments and houses under construction,” Sampie said, even as she acknowledged that the gold miners involved don’t fundamentally deny that they are operating on concession land.

She said that while they acknowledge that the concession rights belong to Zijin, they are seeking clarity from the government on the follow-up process.

“The big question is: what happens to these people if they are evicted? How will they be accommodated?” she said, urging dialogue, warning, “if you remove this group without an alternative, I fear that crime will increase, not only in Paramaribo, but also in the interior and elsewhere in Suriname”.

“We don’t want that. And we also don’t want a confrontation between citizens and the authorities, the police, or the military,” she said, hinting that agreements could be made with Zijin regarding protocols, demarcated zones, or alternative areas where the gold miners can operate under clear conditions.

The ABOP legislator said that while she has no authority to stop the eviction, she will try to persuade the Ministers of Justice and Police, and of Natural Resources, to receive representatives of the gold miners for consultations.

“The government must be willing to listen to these people and work together to find a solution that is supported by both sides.”

Last month. Natural Resources Minister, David Abiamofo, described as “unacceptable and very serious” the existing situation at the mines.

Rosebel Gold Mines was established on May 8, 2002. The company became a subsidiary of Zijin Mining on February 1, 2023. Rosebel is located in the Brokopondo and Sipaliwini Districts in northern Suriname. It is one of the largest in-production gold mines in South America, and according to its website, from 2004 to 2021, it produced a total of 5.65 million ounces of gold, with an annual average of 314,000 ounces.

In a statement, RGM confirmed that “a serious security incident occurred” on January 23 and that “unauthorised individuals entered a restricted and active mining site without permission. “Tragically, one individual fell within the pit area and lost his life,” RGM said, adding that “any loss of life is tragic, and the company recognises the profound impact such events have on families and communities”.

Abiamofo told the National Assembly that safety at the mines had become an absolute necessity and that damage caused by unauthorised occupation of sections of the mines is estimated at US$12.5 million.

Abiamofo said that the situation has far-reaching consequences, not only for the company but also for Suriname, which is a co-shareholder in Rosebel Gold Mines.

Abiamofo told legislators that, at times, more than 200 unauthorized persons are present in active mining areas while heavy machinery, such as excavators, is in operation.

“That is extremely dangerous and asking for trouble,” he said, acknowledging the employment opportunities of Rosebel Gold Mines.

He said approximately 1,600 Surinamese people work directly for the company, while approximately 3,000 jobs are linked to the mine through suppliers and service providers.