West Suriname villagers concerned about garimpeiros

(de Ware Tijd) SIPALIWINI – “We will never accept garimpeiros (illegal Brazilian gold miners) polluting our river with mercury. We must drive them away then,” Carlo Lewis, village head of Apoera tells de Ware Tijd.

He expresses the feelings of inhabitants of the three villages in West-Suriname who are against the influx of a large number of illegal gold miners near the Avanavero Falls at Kabalebo. The miners’ presence was recently discovered by hunters and fishermen who were visiting the area. The Avanavero Falls are about 75 kilometers from Apoera and can be reached by road. Lewis claims the garimperos have already started mining for gold near a creek, and that they have told the hunters and fishermen that nobody can remove them, and they work for a certain Graanoogst. Lewis will table the garimpeiros’ presence today at the Commissariat of the Kabalebo region.

District Commissioner Roline Samsoedien knows no permit has been issued to mine for gold in the Kabalebo area. Rumours about illegal gold miners in the area have reached her, yet she says in reaction, “I do not want to publicize this matter as it is still being investigated.” Gerold Dompig, chairman of the Commission to Restructure the Gold Sector, says a reconnaissance team has already visited Apoera twice recently, but did not find any illegal gold miners. “We have received that tip, but the garimpeiros are likely tipped off as well about when we will visit the area,” Dompig adds. He could not confirm whether the team had visited the Avanavero Falls area. “If the people know where the gold is being mined, they should indicate the location clearly,” Dompig says further. “I expect they will be removed soon then, because the inhabitants are very concerned about this matter,” Lewis states.

The area’s inhabitants point out that the Corantijn River is the only one in Suriname that has not been polluted with mercury so far. “This river is an important food source to us, but now it is being polluted with mercury which is a danger to our health. Those illegal gold miners are going too far now; we must get them out of the area,” says Edgar Herman, another village leader of Apoera.