2009 Albina, Suriname riots explained

2009 Albina, Suriname riots
Location:Albina,
Date:December 24–25, 2009
Timezone:UTC-3
Fatalities:1[1]
Injuries:At least 24

The 2009 Albina, Suriname riots took place on December 24–25, 2009,[2] when local maroon inhabitants attacked Brazilian, Chinese, Colombian and Peruvian gold miners after a man was stabbed to death by a Brazilian.[3]

One death was confirmed by the local police authorities, but Roman Catholic Brazilian priest José Vergílio, which was aiding the victims, said that at least seven people died.[4] According to minister Chan Santokhi of Justice and Police this information was not confirmed. He stated that the stabbed person was the only one killed.[5]

Vehicles and houses were burned and stores owned by Chinese were plundered.[6] According to the Surinamese government, 20 women were raped, one of which was pregnant and lost her baby in the trauma.[2] [7]

At least 24 people were injured during the riots.[8] The injured were transported to a military hospital, while the Brazilians living in Albina were transferred to Paramaribo.[8] Brazilians and Chinese living in the region have been evacuated.[4] According to eyewitnesses, 17 people are missing.[2]

The Brazilian government sent a diplomatic mission on December 27, 2009, to attend the Brazilian victims.[9] Five Brazilians returned to Brazil on December 27 on an airplane of the Brazilian Air Force.[10] On December 28, an airplane with capacity for 40 people was sent to the city with the purpose of rescuing more Brazilians.[10] The Surinamese government sent in troops to conduct searches and keep the peace, although violence is over by all accounts.[2] Suriname officials have come out saying they have the forces to protect all foreigners in the country and have already taken several people into custody for questioning.[2] 35 suspects were arrested on December 28, according to the city's chief of police, Krishna Mathoera-Hussainali.[10]

Background

Albina is primarily a base for nomadic gold prospectors.[2] The town is made up of people from Suriname, neighboring French Guiana, the People's Republic of China and Brazil.[2]

There are between 15,000 and 18,000 Brazilian nomad gold diggers in Suriname, or about 4% of the total population of the country, most of them living illegally.[2] They are some of the poorest people in Brazil, mostly from the Northeast Region.[2]

Tensions in gold prospecting villages like Albina are not sporadic, but violence is quite uncommon.[2] Gold diggers often come in conflict with indigenous people in their search to find and extract gold from remote areas.[2]

References

5.5°N -57°W

Notes and References

  1. Radio 10, Persbriefing, Chan Santokhi, minister of Justice and Polics, 25 December 2009
  2. Web site: Elizondo . Gabriel . Christmas violence in Suriname . December 27, 2009 . December 27, 2009 . Al Jazeera. https://web.archive.org/web/20091231022547/http://blogs.aljazeera.net/americas/2009/12/27/christmas-violence-suriname. December 31, 2009 . live.
  3. Web site: Conflito no Suriname levou a pelo menos 7 mortes, diz missionário . December 27, 2009 . December 26, 2009 . G1 Globo.com . Portuguese . https://web.archive.org/web/20091231010054/http://g1.globo.com/Noticias/Mundo/0%2C%2CMUL1427214-5602%2C00-CONFLITO%2BNO%2BSURINAME%2BLEVOU%2BA%2BPELO%2BMENOS%2BMORTES%2BDIZ%2BMISSIONARIO.html . December 31, 2009 . live .
  4. News: Priest: 7 migrants killed in Suriname violence . December 27, 2009 . December 27, 2009 . Washington Post.
  5. Radio 10, Persbriefing, Chan Santokhi, minister van Justitie en Politie, 25 december 2009
  6. Web site: Suriname reforça segurança após ataque a brasileiros . December 28, 2009 . December 28, 2009 . Estadão. Portuguese.
  7. Web site: Surinam sends troops to Albina . https://archive.today/20110607105646/http://www.rnw.nl/english/article/suriname-sends-troops-albina-quell-violence . dead . June 7, 2011 . December 27, 2009 . December 26, 2009 . Radio Netherlands Worldwide.
  8. Web site: Missão da FAB deve ir ao Suriname para prestar auxílio a brasileiros . December 27, 2009 . December 26, 2009 . G1 Globo.com . Portuguese . https://web.archive.org/web/20091230222942/http://g1.globo.com/Noticias/Mundo/0%2C%2CMUL1427204-5602%2C00.html . December 30, 2009 . live .
  9. Web site: Brasil envia missão diplomática ao Suriname para atender brasileiros atacados. https://archive.today/20130103113159/http://www.google.com/hostednews/epa/article/ALeqM5j0_c3QTCfaZAYaxn_v786ibOkosg . dead . January 3, 2013 . December 27, 2009. December 27, 2009 . Portuguese.
  10. Web site: Suriname: detidos 35 suspeitos de agredir brasileiros . December 28, 2009 . December 28, 2009 . iG . Portuguese . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120229033807/http://ultimosegundo.ig.com.br/mundo/2009/12/28/suriname%2Bdetidos%2B35%2Bsuspeitos%2Bde%2Bagredir%2Bbrasileiros%2B9257980.html . February 29, 2012 . mdy .