The Decades-Long Story Of Saamaka, The Forest Defenders

The Saamaka Story Of Transformation And Resilience

The Saamaka community, also known as Saramaka or Saramacca, traces its roots back to the late 16th century ^{Richard Price (1983). To Slay The Hydra. Dutch Colonial Perspectives on the Sarama Wars.Karoma Publishers.}. They are descendants of Africans who managed to escape slavery and formed their own independent communities in the dense rainforests of Suriname ^{Rich Lord, Len Boselovic, Stephanie Strasburg (April 24,2017). Descended From Runaway Slaves, the Saamaka Still Trapped in Struggle for Future. Pulitzer Center.}.

On September 19, 1762, after a century of fighting for their independence with the Dutch colonizers, they signed a treaty with the Dutch Crown that acknowledged their territorial rights and trading privileges, effectively granting them autonomy and freedom. This day is now celebrated as Saamaka Daka (Saamaka Day).

Despite this achievement, the Saamaka community continued facing different challenges over the years. In 1964, the construction of the Afobaka Dam led to the flooding of much of their ancestral lands, forcing them to adapt to new environments and ways of life. During the late 1980s, a civil war between the Maroons and the military government of Suriname forced many Saamaka to relocate to French Guiana. The end of the war in 1992 did not bring much relief, since the national government largely neglected the needs of the Saamaka ^{Laddy van Putten (1992). «Sranan. Cultuur in Suriname». Digital Library for Dutch Literature (in Dutch).}.

Today, with a population of around 115,000 individuals ^{Richard Price (May 31, 2018). ‘Development’ versus human rights: the Saamaka Maroons’ fight for the rainforests of Suriname. Latin America and Caribbean Center of The London School of Economics and Political Science.}, they remain a resilient community committed to preserving their culture, a rich tapestry woven from various influences. The base of the Saamaka language is Portuguese, a result of the plantations they were located on being occupied by Portuguese Jews who had fled Brazil. The most outstanding forms of art Saamaka practice are woodcarving, mostly done by men, and textile, mostly done by women ^{Richard Price and Sally Price (2017). Saamaka Dreaming. Duke University Press.}.

At the same time, the Saamaka culture is often influenced by the influx of outsiders, such as Chinese storekeepers, Brazilian garimpeiros, Cuban doctors, and Peace Corps volunteers. Modernization and technological advancements also led to smartphones and social media becoming a part of the younger generation’s everyday life ^{Saïrah Tujeehut (November 28, 2022). A cultural journey: the Saamaka culture in Suriname.}, while the authority of traditional leaders is diminishing in the northern parts of their territory. Yet the further south one goes up the river, the more traditional the communities become, with less influence from external impact.

Despite the changing dynamics of Saamaka society and culture, they remain united in asserting their rights, and one of these fights is increasingly becoming the fight for their future.

How Guardians Of The Forest Are Clinging To Their Roots

The Saamaka people have a profound connection with their forests, a relationship that spans over 300 years. The forest serves as their hunting grounds, fishing spots, and as a source of medicine and spirituality. This deep-seated bond is evident in their meticulous mapping of their territory, which identifies at least 50 features depicting various uses, including sacred spaces with high spiritual value. Their foresight in preserving certain regions for future generations showcases their commitment to sustainable living and the inherent value they place on their forests.

However, this harmonious relationship with the forest is under threat. The advent of heavy machinery for logging activities has not only extracted valuable timber but is also disrupting the ecosystem’s delicate ecological balance.

Traditional methods such as slash-and-burn agriculture, which allowed the forest to recover over 40-year cycles, are being replaced by activities that make soil recovery virtually impossible. This reckless exploitation has driven away animals, disrupted the food chain, and blocked creeks, affecting fish resources and severely impacting the Saamaka’s traditional way of life.

Hugo Jabini

Saamaka’s environmental leader

Adding another layer of complexity is the restricted access to these forests. Logging companies and the presence of outsiders whose access is facilitated by newly constructed roads have made the forest a less accessible and a more dangerous place for Saamaka. In the northern part of the Saamaka territory, illegal gold mining has also been noticed, resulting in mercurial pollution of water bodies with consequent death of fish and other aquatic life and serious health risks for the communities. (Find out more about it in our another story of impact “How Gold Mining In Brazil Destroys Local Nature”.)

While the forest is a central aspect of Saamaka life, rivers and creeks also play a significant role. They have developed intricate systems, with specific names for different types of water courses that indicate their navigability. In addition, the depletion of specific types of trees used for crafting boats has forced the community to foresee a future where they might have to rely on aluminum boats, a departure from their tradition.

Giacomo Rambaldi

International consultant in participatory mapping

As a result, the Saamaka are facing immense challenges and the stakes are high, not just for them but for anyone who values the intricate balance of our planet’s ecosystems.

The Ongoing Struggle For Saamaka Sovereignty

The Saamaka people have been at the forefront of the fight against indiscriminate deforestation in Suriname since at least the 1990s. It was then that the Surinamese government started granting industrial logging and mining concessions within the Saamaka’s tribal territory. These concessions have led to the rapid exploitation of natural resources in the area. Consequent water pollution, deforestation, and habitat destruction eventually affected the biodiversity of the region and disrupted Saamaka’s traditional way of life.

In 1996, the Saamaka people managed to unite their villages along the Suriname River. In 2000, they took their case to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. Seven years later, the court issued a landmark ruling. This decision requires the State of Suriname to acknowledge the Saamaka’s historical land rights, respect their right to free prior informed consent (FPIC), and halt any logging or commercial activities on their land until these rights are officially recognized ^{Inter-American Court of Human Rights Case of the Saramaka People v. Suriname. Judgment of November 28, 2007}. This ruling gave the Saamaka renewed hope for preserving the rainforest that is central to their way of life ^{Richard Price (July 30, 2012). Saramaka People v Suriname: A Human Rights Victory and Its Messy Aftermath. Cultural Survival.}.

This victory was not just a win for the Saamaka but set a precedent for indigenous and tribal communities across the Americas. For their leadership in this struggle, Saamaka Headcaptain Wazen Eduards and then-law student Hugo Jabini were awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize, often referred to as the “Environmental Nobel Prize. ^{Richard Price (2011). Rainforest Warriors: Human Rights on Trial. University of Pennsylvania Press}”

The court judged that Suriname has to change its laws to grant the Saamaka people collective title to their traditional territory as well as considerable sovereignty over it. But despite this legal requirement, the Surinamese government continued to push for extractive development, granting permissions to multinational logging and mining companies to operate in the Saamaka territory without explicit Free Prior Informed Consent by the Saamaka people.

The government authorities have encouraged unethical community leaders to undertake logging activities under the guise of “community forest,” allowing a community leader to allocate a forest segment to a company, which then devastates the forest for a minor fee. This approach has fostered elite capture within communities during logging activities.

Hugo Jabini

Saamaka’s environmental leader

The situation has eventually led to a sense of urgency among the Saamaka, especially the youth, who picked up the fight of making sure their hard-won rights to their territory are complied with ^{Koen Kusters (June 7, 2023). Saamaka youth in Suriname demand legal recognition of ancestral territory. Tropenbos International.}.

A New Trespasser In Saamaka’s Paradise

In 2023, a new international timber company named Palmeras entered the scene, and is now posing a significant threat to the Saamaka territory. The company initially planned to build a bridge across the river near the Saamaka villages to facilitate road construction and access previously inaccessible areas. However, due to the opposition from the Saamaka community, the bridge was not built. Instead, the company has been constructing an increasingly upgraded pontoon.

This move is particularly alarming given that the land rights issue remains unresolved, and the Saamaka people are still not legally empowered to manage their land according to their customs and traditions.

Sara Olga Ramirez Gomez

Advisor to inclusive environmental governance processes in tropical regions

Since January 2023, illegal – as per the 2007 ruling of the IACHR – road construction and extensive timber logging have been taking place, with thousands of trees being removed.

While halting the deforestation is Saamaka’s immediate focus, there is also a need for compensation for the lost forests, possibly in a carbon case against Suriname for the irreparable loss of carbon sinks. Hence the community is focused on collecting evidence of ongoing forest degradation and deforestation for the court proceedings and public disclosure.

This is where EOS Data Analytics could lend a hand.

EOSDA’s Satellite Intel Reveals The Scale Of Saamaka’s Newest Forest Crisis

In July 2023, the EOS Data Analytics team was approached by the Saamaka representatives fighting to protect the community’s ancestral lands. Their aim is to leverage cutting-edge satellite data analytics to calculate the scale of the rampant deforestation occurring in the region, particularly along and around the Palmeras road.

EOSDA was happy to help.

First, the EOSDA engineers sifted through a plethora of photos from the Sentinel-2 and other satellites using EOSDA LandViewer, a digital tool allowing for on-the-fly searching, visualizing, and processing of satellite data. Due to the prevalence of cloud cover, a significant portion of the dataset had to be filtered out, leaving them with two clear and usable Sentinel-2 images for analysis: one dated September 6, 2021, and the other dated August 12, 2023.

The findings were staggering. In less than two years, the Palmeras road, initially spanning just 4 km, extended to a shocking 42.7 km. The deforested area directly adjacent to this road ballooned from 13.233 hectares to an alarming 268.124 hectares.

When the EOSDA team broadened its lens to include deviations from the main road and the one-kilometer buffer zone surrounding it, the total deforested land was 71.704 hectares in 2021, and between 2022 and 2023, an extra 376.385 hectares were cleared of the trees.

While the calculated amount of deforestation derived from satellite imagery is accurate to an extent, the absence of exact comparative data makes it currently impossible to determine the error margin. Nonetheless, the data underscores a dire escalation in deforestation activities, necessitating urgent attention and the implementation of conservation strategies to safeguard the remaining natural habitats.

Dmytro Zhylchenko

GIS Team Lead at EOS Data Analytics

This satellite intelligence not only quantifies the environmental degradation but also offers the Saamaka community the data needed to halt these destructive activities through public disclosure and persuade the government to stop giving concessions for unauthorized logging.

The numbers speak volumes, and when supplemented with satellite images, they paint a compelling picture that is hard to ignore or dispute. This data serves as a clarion call for immediate action to protect the Saamaka’s ancestral lands and, by extension, one of our planet’s vital ecosystems.

Justice, Awareness, Sustainability: The Three Pillars Of Saamaka’s Future

As the Saamaka community faces the pressing issue of illegal deforestation, in our conversation with Hugo Jabini and Sara Olga Ramirez Gomez they shared that there’s a multi-pronged strategy to combat this existential threat to Saamaka’s way of life and their ancestral lands.

In addition to their long-term legal battle to hold the state of Suriname accountable for failing to comply with the previous judgment of the Inter-American Court, they are in the process of filing an emergency court case aimed at halting the ongoing road construction and illegal logging activities conducted by Palmeras N.V. that are ravaging their forests. The community is also seeking compensation for the forest resources that have been lost, a move that could set a precedent for other indigenous communities facing similar challenges.

But the fight doesn’t stop in the courtroom. The Saamaka are actively working on raising public awareness about the issue. By publishing this story, EOS Data Analytics aims to support them in these efforts.

Public awareness can serve as a powerful tool in this battle, putting pressure on both the government and corporations to act responsibly. It can also attract the attention of international organizations and activists, potentially leading to further support and resources for Saamaka’s cause.

Sara Olga Ramirez Gomez

Advisor to inclusive environmental governance processes in tropical regions

By taking these multifaceted steps, the Saamaka community hopes not only to halt the ongoing destruction but also to secure a future where it can live in harmony with the forest, just as the ancestors did.

Saamaka’s determination and spirit inspire us at EOS Data Analytics. It reinforces our commitment to using space tech to preserve life on Earth, not just in words but through meaningful actions. This story of impact exemplifies the kind of change we aim to support, giving us hope for a more sustainable and eventually brighter future.

Vera Petryk

Chief Marketing Officer at EOS Data Analytics

The EOS Data Analytics marks these materials as “stories of impact”, but the story of the Saamaka people is far from over. It’s a story of resilience, of a community coming together to protect their home, and of the power of technology and public awareness to make a difference. It’s a story that we all should be a part of, for the sake of the Saamaka, and for the future of our planet.

This Story of Impact was created following EOSDA’s vision to make space tech a global driver of sustainability on Earth. If you wish to share a story that relates to this idea and believe our solutions can help develop it, please contact us via pr@eosda.com.