UPR 25th Session, Geneva, May 2, 2016
As delivered by Divya Khosla
The United States welcomes the Surinamese delegation to the UPR Working Group.
We applaud the reform of Suriname’s nationality law to remove provisions that discriminate against women and welcome its implementation in practice.
We note with interest the November 2015 Court of Justice ruling that found the Amnesty Law to be unconstitutional because it obstructed the ongoing trial for the December 1982 murders of fifteen political opposition members. We are concerned, however, at the slow pace and apparent unwillingness of prosecutors to recognize the Court’s guidance.
While we welcome the recent workshops by the Trafficking in Persons Working Group, we remain concerned about the insufficient resources devoted to support law enforcement efforts or adequately assist victims.
We note our concern about the use of child labor in the informal economy, including small-scale gold mining. We are also concerned that the age when compulsory education ends remains below the minimum age for employment.
Bearing in mind these concerns, we recommend that Suriname:
- Ensure that the justice system has the necessary resources to carry out an independent, impartial and expeditious trial of the December 1982 murders.
- Open the proposed shelter for female and child trafficking victims and allocate sufficient resources to support long-term services for victims of trafficking.
- Raise the age when compulsory education ends to at least 16.
(end statement)