For generations, Surinamese nature lovers, hunters and sport fishers have cherished stories about the legendary anjoemaras in our interior. The dream: to take on this powerful predatory fish with nothing more than a piece of string and a hook.
Last weekend, we travelled from Paramaribo to the Tempatikreek to fulfil that dream. After a four-and-a-half-hour drive and a strenuous two-hour trek through the rainforest, we reached the creek. What we found bore no resemblance to the fishing paradise we had expected.
A disturbing silence
Anyone familiar with Suriname’s interior knows how much life can be found in and around a healthy forest creek. You see insects, frogs and other animals. You hear birds and sometimes see traces of otters. At the Tempatikreek, it was the silence that struck us. During our visit, we saw or heard hardly any animals.
The water also concerned us. It looked milky and yellowish-white. We saw dead trees, and an oily-looking layer appeared to be floating on parts of the water’s surface. Based on our observations, we cannot determine which substances are in the water or what caused the discolouration. Research is needed for that.
Workers from the logging sector told us on site that a group of gold miners was allegedly active deeper in the area. They spoke of about eight Chinese individuals. We were unable to verify that information ourselves. This is precisely why we ask the competent authorities to establish what activities are taking place and whether they are affecting the creek.
Possible downstream consequences
According to the flow maps we consulted, the Tempatikreek is connected to the Commewijnerivier. If polluted water or sediment is carried along, the damage could possibly extend beyond this one creek. This also makes research important for communities and fish stocks downstream.
Concerns about the effects of gold mining on Surinamese waterways are not new. We want to prevent the Tempatikreek from also being added to the list of places where action is only taken once the damage is already extensive.
Questions for the NMA
We call on the Nationale Milieu Autoriteit (NMA; National Environmental Authority) to investigate the situation on site. We would like answers to the following questions:
- Has the NMA received reports of possible pollution of the Tempatikreek?
- Have inspections been carried out into mining activities in this area?
- Can the NMA commission independent water and soil testing in the short term?
- What measures will follow if it is found that rules have been violated or environmental damage has occurred?
We also ask the government and the Ministry of Olie, Gas en Milieu to clarify how they monitor activities in remote areas. When indications of criminal offences are found, the judicial authorities must investigate them.
Suriname has a remarkable wealth of forests, creeks and animals. That wealth requires protection. What we saw at the Tempatikreek affected us. We ask the authorities to establish the facts, make the findings public and take action where necessary.
M.D. and D.R.
Names are known to the editorial team.
