US embassy cable - 04PARAMARIBO104

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARAMARIBO 000104 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, PREL, PGOV, ELAB, KDEM, KPAO, KSEP 
SUBJECT: US HUMAN RIGHTS STRATEGY FOR SURINAME 
 
REF: 03 STATE 333935 
 
THE FOLLOWING IS POST'S SUBMISSION FOR THE REPORT ON U.S. 
HUMAN RIGHTS STRATEGY. 
 
BEGIN TEXT. 
 
THE SURINAMESE GOVERNMENT, HEADED BY PRESIDENT RONALD 
VENETIAAN, IS STILL IN THE PROCESS OF CONSOLIDATING 
DEMOCRATIC, CONSTITUTIONAL RULE IN THE COUNTRY.  SURINAME 
HELD GENERALLY FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS IN MAY 2000.  THE 
    GOVERNMENT GENERALLY RESPECTED THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF ITS 
CITIZENS; HOWEVER, THERE WERE PROBLEMS IN SOME AREAS. POLICE 
MISTREATED DETAINEES, SPECIFICALLY AT THE TIME OF ARREST, 
AND LOCAL DETENTION FACILITIES REMAINED OVERCROWDED.  THE 
JUDICIARY SUFFERED FROM INEFFECTIVENESS AND A HUGE CASE 
BACKLOG DUE TO THE SHORTAGE OF JUDGES, RESULTING IN LENGTHY 
PRETRIAL DETENTION.  MEDIA SELF-CENSORSHIP CONTINUED. 
SOCIETAL DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN, MINORITIES, AND 
TRIBAL PERSONS PERSISTED.  VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN CONTINUED, 
AND WHILE THE GOVERNMENT TOOK STEPS TO COMBAT TRAFFICKING IN 
PERSONS, TRAFFICKING IN WOMEN REMAINED A PROBLEM. 
 
U.S. OFFICIALS ROUTINELY HIGHLIGHT PUBLICLY THE NEED FOR 
IMPROVEMENTS IN HUMAN RIGHTS CONDITIONS.  THE AMBASSADOR AND 
OTHER OFFICERS OF THE U.S. MISSION ALSO WORK PRIVATELY WITH 
SURINAMESE OFFICIALS, NGOS, AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO 
IDENTIFY AREAS OF PARTICULAR CONCERN AND ENCOURAGE SYSTEMIC 
REFORMS. 
 
BECAUSE MANY OF SURINAME'S LAW ENFORCEMENT INSTITUTIONS 
CONTINUE TO FACE SIGNIFICANT IMPEDIMENTS, THE EMBASSY 
FOCUSED ITS HUMAN RIGHTS AND DEMOCRACY EFFORTS IN THAT 
SECTOR.  HOWEVER, THE EMBASSY ADDRESSED OTHER HUMAN RIGHTS 
ISSUES IN AREAS SUCH AS HIV/AIDS, HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND 
MICRO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. 
 
TO FOSTER MORE PROFESSIONAL SECURITY FORCES AND TO PROMOTE 
RESPECT FOR THE RULE OF LAW, THE EMBASSY INVITED EXPERTS 
FROM THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATIONS, CUSTOMS, AND 
OTHER U.S. GOVERNMENT AGENCIES TO TRAIN LOCAL LAW 
ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS (POLICE, CUSTOMS OFFICIALS, 
    PROSECUTORS, AND JUDGES) ON ANTI-CORRUPTION EFFORTS, JOINT 
POLICE INTELLIGENCE, AND UNDERCOVER TECHNIQUES.  THE EMBASSY 
ASSISTED SURINAME IN ESTABLISHING A FINANCIAL INTELLIGENCE 
UNIT, WHICH ALSO RECEIVED USG FUNDING REGIONALLY THROUGH THE 
CARIBBEAN ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING PROGRAM.  IN ADDITION, THE 
EMBASSY SENT LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS FOR TRAINING IN THE 
U.S. AND ABROAD AND TWO JUDGES TO THE U.S. TO MEET WITH 
COUNTERPARTS AND OBSERVE THE JUDICIAL PROCESS. 
 
THE DEFENSE ATTACHE OFFICE (DAO) CONDUCTED SEVERAL 
ACTIVITIES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR THAT PROMOTED 
PROFESSIONALIZATION OF THE MILITARY AND EFFORTS BY THE 
SURINAMESE ARMED FORCES TO ACTIVELY ENHANCE THE WELFARE OF 
SURINAMESE CITIZENS.  THE OFFICE SENT FOR TRAINING SEVENTEEN 
MILITARY OFFICERS AND NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS THROUGH THE 
INTERNATIONAL MILITARY AND EDUCATION TRAINING (IMET) PROGRAM 
IN AREAS, SUCH AS LAW AND BORDER PATROL, WHO WERE VETTED BY 
THE MINISTRY OF DEFENSE AND VARIOUS SECTIONS OF THE EMBASSY 
IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE LEAHY AMENDMENT.  MOREOVER, DAO 
PROVIDED FIRST RESPONDER MEDICAL AND A FOLLOW-UP ADVANCED 
EMERGENCY TECHNICIAN TRAINING TO MILITARY AND CIVILIAN 
PERSONNEL IN COUNTRY.  DAO DONATED 250,000 USD FOR THE 
ESTABLISHMENT OF A NATIONAL EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER AND 
TWO DISASTER WAREHOUSES AND PROVIDED 500,000 USD IN MEDICAL 
SUPPLIES TO THE MILITARY.  IN ADDITION, DAO, WITH THE 
ASSISTANCE OF THE SURINAME ARMED FORCES, CARRIED OUT A 
MEDICAL READINESS EXERCISE THAT PROVIDED BASIC MEDICAL, NON- 
SURGICAL CARE TO 6,000 SURINAMERS. 
 
TO PROMOTE THE STUDY OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN SURINAME, THE 
EMBASSY PLACED A FULBRIGHT SENIOR SPECIALIST AT THE LOCAL 
    UNIVERSITY, ANTON DE KOM, TO TEACH A HUMAN RIGHTS COURSE TO 
UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE STUDENTS, INCLUDING POLICYMAKERS. 
ANOTHER FULBRIGHT SPECIALIST PLACED AT THE UNIVERSITY TAUGHT 
AROUND 20 SEASONED PROFESSORS STUDENT-CENTERED INSTRUCTIONAL 
TECHNIQUES TO FOSTER CRITICAL THINKING RATHER THAN ROTE 
MEMORIZATION.  THE SUCCESS OF THAT PROGRAM LED A LOCAL 
INSTITUTE TO PRESENT A COURSE FOR TEACHERS-IN-TRAINING TO 
LEARN THESE NEW TECHNIQUES.  IN 2003, THE EMBASSY SENT TWO 
PARTICIPANTS TO INTERNATIONAL VISITORS PROGRAMS ON 
"MULTICULTURALISM" AND "WOMEN IN BUSINESS" AND HELD AN E- 
COMMERCE WORKSHOP FOR LOCAL BUSINESSWOMEN.  AROUND 60 PEACE 
CORPS VOLUNTEERS PROMOTED HUMAN RIGHTS IN GENERAL BY WORKING 
NATION-WIDE ON EDUCATION, HEALTH, AND MICRO-ECONOMIC 
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS WITH MARGINALIZED GROUPS. 
 
 
THE EMBASSY LOBBIED THE GOVERNMENT TO PAY GREATER ATTENTION 
TO HIV/AIDS.  USAID PROVIDED 425,218 USD TO FUND VARIOUS 
ACTIVITIES IN COUNTRY TO ASSIST THE GOVERNMENT AND LOCAL 
NGOS TO FIGHT DISCRIMINATION TOWARD PERSONS INFECTED WITH 
HIV/AIDS, TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE (VOLUNTARY 
COUNSELING AND TESTING TRAINING, SURVEILLANCE METHODS), AND 
TO PROMOTE INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY BUILDING.  THE EMBASSY 
 
PARAMARIBO 00000104  002 OF 002 
 
 PUBLIC 
AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS BY FOUR LOCAL NGOS AND TO CO-SPONSOR 
NATIONAL CONSULTATIONS ON HIV/AIDS, A PREREQUISITE FOR THE 
COMPLETION OF THE NATIONAL STRATEGIC PLAN TO COMBAT 
HIV/AIDS.  WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE EMBASSY AND OTHER 
STAKEHOLDERS, THE NATIONAL HIV/AIDS PROGRAM COMPLETED THE 
NATIONAL STRATEGIC PLAN, WHICH SURINAME CAN USE TO 
STRENGTHEN ITS CASE TO OBTAIN FUNDS FROM THE GLOBAL FUND. 
PEACE CORPS CONTRIBUTED TO THESE EFFORTS BY ASSIGNING AT 
LEAST TEN VOLUNTEERS TO WORK PRIMARILY ON HIV/AIDS RELATED 
    PROJECTS.  IN ADDITION TO THESE EFFORTS, THE AMBASSADOR MET 
WITH SEVERAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS PRIVATELY TO RELAY HER 
CONCERNS ABOUT HIV/AIDS AND PENNED AN OP-ED ON THE NEED TO 
INCREASE EFFORTS AGAINST HIV/AIDS, WHICH RECEIVED FRONT-PAGE 
COVERAGE IN LOCAL DAILIES. 
 
THE EMBASSY ENCOURAGED THE GOVERNMENT TO ADDRESS HUMAN 
TRAFFICKING -- SURINAME WAS INITIALLY DEEMED A "TIER 3" AND 
LATER A "TIER 2" COUNTRY ON THE STATE DEPARTMENT'S 
TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS 2002 LIST.  AS A RESULT OF THIS 
PRESSURE, THE GOVERNMENT ESTABLISHED AN ANTI-TRAFFICKING 
COMMISSION COMPRISED OF VARIOUS MINISTRIES AND A LOCAL NGO 
HEADED BY THE MINISTRY OF JUSTICE AND POLICE TO STUDY 
TRAFFICKING.  IN ADDITION, THE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE 
AND THE POLICE ESTABLISHED A REGISTRY OF ALL BROTHELS AND 
THEIR EMPLOYEES BY NATIONALITY.  THE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR'S 
OFFICE, IN COOPERATION WITH POLICE OFFICIALS, ALSO EXTENDED 
SERVICES PROVIDED TO VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE TO 
POSSIBLE TRAFFICKED VICTIMS AND IN MAY ESTABLISHED A 
"SPECIAL VICTIMS' UNIT" AND A TELEPHONE HOTLINE TO HANDLE 
ALL CASES FROM THE COMMERCIAL SEX INDUSTRY.  THE MISSION 
SECURED 92,000 USD FOR A TWO-YEAR PROGRAM TO BE CARRIED OUT 
BY THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE OFFICE FOR PROSECUTORIAL 
DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE TRAINING TO ASSIST SURINAME IN ITS 
FIGHT AGAINST HUMAN TRAFFICKING. 
 
END TEXT. 
 
BARNES 
 
 

 
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            2004PARAMA00104 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED 
 
 
 
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