The interim relief judge is expected to deliver a ruling on Wednesday, 28 October, or no later than Thursday, 29 October, in the case concerning the planned deportation of sixty Mennonites from Suriname. Lawyer Derrick Veira announced this on Tuesday after the hearing.
According to the lawyer, applications for a Machtiging tot Kort Verblijf (MKV, Authorisation for Short Stay) were submitted, but the responsible government body never responded to them. The State, on the other hand, maintains that the foreign nationals concerned do not possess the required residence documents.
During the urgent hearing, both parties were heard extensively. According to Veira, the Ministry of Justice and Security had brought several experts, who explained to the judge the procedures foreign nationals must comply with when entering and wishing to reside in Suriname.
Given the urgent nature of the case, the judge, according to the lawyer, announced that a ruling would be issued on Wednesday or no later than Thursday. Veira filed the interim relief proceedings to prevent the Mennonites concerned from being deported from Suriname.
Lawyer: government did not respond to MKV applications
An important point of dispute during the hearing concerns the Mennonites’ residence status. According to the State, those concerned do not possess the documents necessary to reside lawfully in Suriname.
Veira does not dispute that legal procedures are linked to the arrival and residence of foreign nationals. However, he states that those concerned submitted applications for an MKV, on which the responsible authority did not decide.
According to the lawyer, the government should have approved the applications or rejected them with reasons. By failing to make a decision, those concerned would, according to him, not have known how to take the subsequent steps in the residence procedure.
He referred in this regard to correspondence from the then Ministry of Foreign Affairs, under Minister Albert Ramdin, in which, according to him, cooperation was promised for the arrival of a specific group of foreign nationals in Suriname.
During the hearing, the director of Vreemdelingendienst (Immigration Service) also stated that an MKV must in principle be applied for before entering Suriname. The lawyer maintained that the submitted applications should have been processed by the government.
Submitting an MKV application does not automatically mean that someone has obtained permission to reside in Suriname. The official residence regulations prescribe which procedures apply to the different categories of foreign nationals.
Sixty Mennonites under police guard in Kraka
The case concerns sixty Mennonites from 33 families who were transferred to Kraka in the Para district after the eviction operation in the Masoniagebied. The group also includes young children and babies.
According to Veira, the last bus carrying those concerned arrived in Kraka shortly before midnight on Monday, 26 October. The group is being housed under police guard in barracks and is sleeping on camp beds provided by the State.
The lawyer further stated that the passports of approximately sixty people concerned have been taken into custody by the police.
He expressed concern about the accommodation conditions, particularly because of the presence of three babies and several young children. According to Veira, the sanitary facilities at the location are insufficiently suitable to accommodate such a large group.
He also pointed out that those concerned do not speak Dutch and are not accustomed to staying under the guard of armed police officers.
Veira stated that it did not become clear during the hearing whether those concerned are formally regarded as suspects. Further confirmation of their legal status by the authorities is still lacking.
Agricultural activities and equipment left behind
According to the lawyer, the Mennonites had come to Suriname to contribute to the development of the agricultural sector. Their removal from the area has, according to him, brought agricultural activities to a halt.
He stated that poultry, agricultural plots and heavy equipment, among other things, were left behind at the location. According to Veira, these activities and investments represent considerable value.
The lawyer believes that the economic interests which, according to him, are involved in the agricultural project should also be taken into account in handling the matter.
He also criticised coordination between various government agencies. According to Veira, the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries and the former Ministry of Foreign Affairs, among others, had previously cooperated with initiatives concerning the arrival of the Mennonites.
According to him, that alleged involvement of the ministries means that questions should be asked about mutual coordination within the government.
Veira also wants interests of local communities to be considered
The lawyer also addressed the public debate surrounding the presence of Mennonites in Suriname.
According to Veira, the advantages and disadvantages of such agricultural projects must be weighed carefully. He advocated for better control mechanisms, clear information provision and more attention to the views of local communities.
He stated that when local communities are willing to cooperate with foreign farmers, their views must be included in policymaking.
Further steps dependent on ruling
Veira announced that he would return to Kraka to speak with the Mennonites concerned and inform them about the progress of the court case.
According to him, what further legal steps will be taken will depend partly on consultations with his clients and the judge’s ruling.
For the time being, the Mennonites are staying at the reception location in Kraka. The available information does not yet show whether the planned deportation has formally been suspended pending the ruling.
The police had previously ordered those concerned to leave the Masoniagebied by Friday, 23 October. According to the authorities, this involved unissued state land for which the required permission was lacking.
