Report No. 22 (1989) IACHR. Case No. 10.124 (Surinam)

• Case Number: 10.124
• Year: 1989
• Report Number: 22
• Case Type: Merits
• Respondent State: Surinam
• Court: Inter-American Comission of Human Rights
• Alleged Victim: Masacre en Tjongalangapassie

OEA/Ser.L/V/II.76; Doc. 10; 18 September 1989; Original: Spanish ANNUAL REPORT OF THE INTER-AMERICAN COMMISSION; ON HUMAN RIGHTS 1988-1989 RESOLUTION Nº 22/89 CASE 10.124 SURINAME September 27, 1989 HAVING SEEN: 1. The petition received by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights on October 8, 1987, according to which: BACKGROUND INFORMATION: 1. The area under discussion is known as Tjongalangapassie. At the 78 kilometers mark on the road between Brownsweg and Pokigron, in the Brokopondo/Sipaliwini District. This area is inhabited by the Saramaka Maroons or Bush Negroes. This road is the major line for communication for the Saramaka people in the south to the urban coastal area. The road is of great importance since the construction of the dam prohibits safe and easy transportation by traditional boats. After the construction of the lake, flooding of considerable areas of the Saramaka territory and transmigration, many shifted to prepare their agriculture fields along the Tjongalangapassie. 2. As a consequence many camps (small temporary settlements) arose in this environment. Residents from the following villages are entitled to settle there and grow their crops: Lispansi - I; Lispansi - II; Jaw Jaw; Kajapati; Amakkakondä; Pokigron; Gingistonoe; Pamboko; Kapasikëlë; Pamboko-Biudumatu; Duwata; Banavoukondë; Bëkiokondë; Pikipada; Gujaba. Saramaka Maroons living in other places might get permission to settle and grow their crops in this environment. From: Heikununu; Masiakiki; Slee; Brownsweg area; and, Paramaribo. 3. The schedule of agricultural production in the area or in the Maroon society, in general, is such that while men are preparing the fields for the next season, women are harvesting the previous fields and planting new crops like ground nuts and ochre in the new fields in preparation. These go on simultaneously. Such is generally the programme in the months of August and September. Mid-August till end of September is school vacation period. Besides, schools in this part of the country have been closed for almost a year now. All members of the family including children and those forming small vocational cooperatives are to be found in the fields, working from the early morning till late in the afternoon. Many people could, therefore, be found on this road and this area in the August-September period. 4. This area also became a hiding ground for residents of the Brownsweg villages. Whenever the military approach they flee to the dense forests here. The Jungle Commando also has a camp in this area at Km 49. OCCURRENCES: 5. We first learned about heavy fighting between the National Army and the Jungle Commando warriors from the Government news agency SNA in Paramaribo. They reported that heavy fighting took place at Tjongalangapassie on 10 September 1987. A camp of the Jungle Commando was destroyed; goods confiscated and forty warriors killed, the news agency said. A short while thereafter came the cry of distress (19 September 1987) from “Aide Medicale Internationale” based in Paris. They reported a massacre of more than forty Saramaka Maroons in the area of the Tjongalangapassie. Those killed were not Jungle Commando warriors but civilians. Men, women, and children were killed by the Military of the National Army, the report said. 6. Accounts from eyewitness confirmed that: i. The Jungle Commando had left that area since the first week of June 1987. They had left behind three camp watchmen. Only sporadic patrol of small units (of less than seven warriors) could be seen from time to time. ii. There has been no fighting between the National Army and the Jungle Commando warriors between 10 and 20 September in this area. iii. A message of the army was given out meant for warning every non-Jungle Commando warrior to leave the area before 10 September. This message was not, however, announced publicly. We have been told that the message never arrived. iv. Until 15 October 1987, it was strictly forbidden to every- one to enter the road without special permission from the military. It was also not possible to collect the corpses or skeletons or other remainders of their own family without the special permission. No search or identification of bodies of family members was permitted. The permission could be requested at Berg-en-Dal, 17 Km from Brownsweg in the direction of Paramaribo. Some of those on the road witnessed an enormous amount of vultures and the unbearable stench of corpses. v. The fact that the mission of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights was not able to visit Brownsweg prevented a meeting with first hand witnesses of the alleged massacre. The Government indicated that it was not in a position to provide security arrangements necessary for the visit of this mission. 7. After questioning two persons directly involved in the occurrence and many others directly affected by these, we arrive at the conclusion that killings of innocent civilians took place at the Tjongalangapassie between 10 and 30 September 1987. Though not in a battle members of the Jungle Commando might have been killed in this area. All those killed in that period are primarily if not all Bush Negroes. Of a total of 20 (twenty) of whom three could be considered involved in the civil war are registered. The others could not be identified. There has been no systematic search in the area as yet. These findings or discoveries should therefore be considered accidental. This and unanimous opinion of informers give ground to believe that there has been a massacre of Saramaka Maroons by the National Army, involving much more victims than counted at the massacre of Maroons in Moniwana in the afternoon of Saturday, 20 November 1986. 8. Following are some information on victims discovered by accident: CASE 01: ATANSO, Male Age 22, son of Main & Swaja Adiembo Killing area discovered Tjongalangapssie Km 10 Killing date 30 September 1987 CASE 02: DIEKO, Edmundo Male, from the Villa of Pamboko Age 17, son of Metty Dieko and Rení Aboikoni Killing area discovered Tjongalangapssie Km 49 Killing date 11 September 1987 Remarks Probably Jungle Commando Camp watchman CASE 03: DONOE, Ajajo Roël Male Age 35 Address Brownsweg-Kadjoe Killing area discovered Tjongalangapassie Km 18 Killing date 11 September 1987 Remarks Pickup destroyed. Robbed 3000 Guilders; hunting gun; driver’s license; passport. See also Case 13. CASE 04: FINKI, Amonie Pantooli Male, from the Village of Lispansie Age 58, son of Mamma Malie and Wakka Wai Address Paramaribo Killing area discovered Near landing-place of the Village of Pokigron Killing date 18 September 1987 Remarks He was on his way back to his village, returning from the village of his wife’s family after preparatory work for the annual agricultural field work. He was accompanied by his two sons-in-law (Asoetikoekoe and Dinda) and his son (of whom we have no name available). They were fired upon while in their boat. This killing happened during the two day visit of Commander-in-Chief, leader of the Revolution and head of the Government of Suriname, Lieutenant Col. D.D. Bouterse to the vil- lage of Pokigron. The companions of Mr. Finki escaped, his son was hurt. Occupation Watchman in Paramaribo. CASE 05: FINKI, Hugo Paiti Male Age 21, son of Suüku & Fanjí Killing area discovered Tjongalangapassie Km 16 Killing date 11 September 1987 CASE 06: GAJAGO Male Age Son of Gajagö of the Village of Pinpin Killing area discovered Tjongalangapassie Killing date 11 September 1987 CASE 07: GAJAGO Female Age 2, daughter of Gajagö of Pinpin Killing area discovered Tjongalangapassie Killing date 11 September 1987 CASE 08: MAIN, Baabaa (alias Kapiten Faka) Male, from Amakkakondë Age 21, son of Boddo Main Killing area discovered Tjongalangapassie Km 49 Killing date 11 September 1987 Remarks Probably Jungle Commando Camp watchman CASE 09: METISEN, Boisi Male from Godo Age 38, son of Soemato & Godo Address Vulcanusstraat 38 Paramaribo Profession Aluminium potter Killing area discovered Tjongalangapassie Km 10 Killing date 30 September 1987 Remarks See also Case 14 CASE 10: PAM A TJOK, Nagwëtë Male Age 35, son of Ameïkan (alias Dondoko) Address Village of Pinpin Killing area discovered Tjongalangapassie Km 49 Killing date 11 September 1987 Remarks Probably Jungle Commando Camp watchman CASE 11: POEKETIE, William Andeloe Male Age 23, son of Apajaka Poeketie and Lonei Amokkoo Adjako Address Kajapatie Killing area discovered Tjongalangapassie Km 54 Killing date 11 September 1987 CASE 12: VREDE, Desman Male Age 37, son of Telma Vrede- Ewijk and Sofnat Vrede Address Brownsweg-Nieuw Ganzee Killing area discovered Tjongalangapassie Killing date 10 September 1987 CASE 13: Waldie Male Age 17 Address Brownsweg-Kadjoe Killing area discovered Tjongalangapassie Km 18 Killing date 11 September 1987 Remarks He was probably killed together with Donoe, Ajajo Roël (Case 3) CASE 14: At the Tjongalangapassie a body was discovered. Some say it belongs to a member of the Metisen family (See Case 09). Probably killed in September 1987. CASE 15: Woman and Child The body of a woman of about 40 years of age, and next to her the body of an approximately 6 years old child. The body of the woman showed signs of being raped. Close to her there was a basket with padi (dropped). This discovery was made off Km 54. The woman and child were probably killed on 11 September 1987. CASE 16: A Child voice warning A soldier made the following statement regarding this...