Suriname's natural resources

Suriname's natural resources

I am a Jakarta Post reader and I am Surinamese by birth. I
welcome Stephen K. Grecik's call to support the NGOs in Surinam
to use their democratic right to appeal to the National Assembly
to intervene in the handing over of three million hectares of
land to Indonesian and Malaysian timber barons.

It is sad enough that the Surinamese government should be
desperate enough to even consider such drastic steps for
financial reasons. It must boldly say "No" to these companies if
it is really committed to the preservation of the earth's rare
natural wonders. One of these wonders is the habitat of
indigenous communities and magnificent flora and fauna.

What ads more gloom to this depressing picture is the fact
that South-South cooperation is likely to slide into
unprecedented dimensions of rhetoric, blackmail and theft,
especially if it is occurring among societies wary of Dutch
colonial practice and greed.

I call upon all sensible people and parties to make a
concerted effort to stop the destruction of Suriname's rain
forests. We must save these magnificent natural resources, not
just for the sake of its inhabitants, but also for the sake of
the world.

Therefore, as suggested by Stephen Grecik, send your letters
to the Chairman of the National Assembly, Jagernath Lachman,
Gravenstraat 1, Paramaribo, Suriname, or to the Surinamese
newspapers, De West, Dr. J.C. de Mirandastraat, Paramaribo and De
Ware Tijd, Malebatrumstraat, Paramaribo.

Name and address

known to editor