Quilombolas e direitos humanos no Suriname

Abstract

Resumo Desde a independência do Suriname em 1975, o relacionamento entre o Estado e sua população quilombola (cerca de 52 mil pessoas, talvez 15% da população nacional) deteriorou. Do ponto de vista quilombola, os tipos de atrocidades associadas às guerras coloniais do século dezoito voltaram à tona. A Guerra Civil que começou em 1986, que jogou o exército nacional contra os “Jungle Commandos” (compostos principalmente de quilombolas) só fez piorar a situação dos quilombolas. Um grande julgamento pela Corte Inter-Americana de Direitos Humanos em 1992, tendo como réu o Estado do Suriname, terminou com uma vultosa indenização por danos aos quilombolas Saramaka, autores da queixa. Recentemente a situação piorou, quando os quilombolas – sem qualquer proteção legal sob a constituição do Suriname – viram as terras pelas quais os seus antepassados lutaram e morreram serem confiscadas unilateralmente pelo Estado e doadas, em concessões gigantescas, a companhias madeireiras e mineradoras multinacionais (da Indonésia, da Malásia, da China e do Canadá). O efeito das atuais políticas para os quilombolas não é nada menos do que etnocídio.

Quilombos in Brazil and the Americas: Black Resistance in Historical Perspective

“…There are records that show that they kept commercial relations with the former colony, and throughout their history, they were able to express themselves through their cultural, social, and political codes (Carvalho, 1995). As Price (1999) points out, the treaties between the Saramakas, the Ndyuka, and the colonial state in the mid-eighteenth century were respected, in general, for two centuries. During this period, quilombolas developed societies and cultures that were “probably the most creative and distinct of all of Afro-America” (Price, 1999, p. 204).…”

“…As Price (1999) points out, the treaties between the Saramakas, the Ndyuka, and the colonial state in the mid-eighteenth century were respected, in general, for two centuries. During this period, quilombolas developed societies and cultures that were “probably the most creative and distinct of all of Afro-America” (Price, 1999, p. 204).…”

“…However, in the 1960s, prior to Suriname’s independence, in a joint action between the Alcoa corporation and the colonial government of the time, the lands of the Saramaká territory, with legal ownership assured to them since the treaty of 1762, were dispossessed. The action impacted about 6,000 Saramaká quilombolas , who had their territory flooded by the construction of a dam and the lake of a hydroelectric power plant (Price, 1999). After Suriname’s independence in 1975, violent actions continued to target Suriname’s quilombos , without respect for their rights, customs, and traditions.…”

“…In Suriname, the quilombolas represent a considerable part of the population. According to Price (1999), there are about 60,000 quilombolas , or 15% of the population, whose rights have been violated. The Saramaká people filed a complaint against the state of Suriname for violating their rights with the construction of the dam on their territory.…”