2.2
Activities of the Panel
This report is based on a rapid analysis of documents, discussions with key informants, and
observations during a brief field visit to Suriname between 14 and 18 June 2016.16
Documents were sourced from the company, expert consultants, and from public and
academic sources. Ahead of their visit to Suriname, Panel members engaged with company
personnel familiar with the site context. During its visit, the Panel held discussions in
Paramaribo with senior company representatives, a government representative, company
consultants, and representatives of the Pamaka traditional authority. On site at Merian, the
Panel met with community relations staff, site managers, and a group of local employees.
While in Suriname, the Panel visited three Pamaka communities along the Marowijne River,
including Langatabiki, Loka Loka and Kriki Mofu. 17 Langatabiki is the village nearest to the
mine and the seat of the Pamaka’s tribal chief. Access to villages was via local, motorized
watercraft as there is no direct road access. In two of the villages, meetings were held with a
group of discussants that included the village captain. A spiritual leader was present at the
third location. Time constraints did not allow the Panel to have informal conversations with
community members beyond these discussions. Two impromptu meetings occurred, firstly
with a group of women in Loka Loka and also with some artisanal and small-scale
(“informal”) miners at a local business located on the access road from the site. As villagelevel meetings were held in open spaces, other people were able to observe these
discussions.
All interviews were conducted with the support of freelance interpreters who had not
previously worked for the company. Newmont personnel accompanied the Panel to villages,
but were not present during group discussions. Time pressures restricted the Panel’s ability
to visit other Pamaka and non-Pamaka communities. For example, the Panel did not visit the
town of Moengo, communities along the transportation corridor, or other Maroon and
indigenous communities along the Marowijne River. Given the brief time spent in the field,
the report is based on an impressionistic understanding of the local context.
3
Background context
The focus of the Panel’s work is to understand Newmont’s approach to community
engagement and FPIC within a human rights framework at the Merian mine and to make
recommendations for how Newmont can enhance its respect of human rights. The Panel’s
task is not to provide an analysis of the social context or a full account of engagement and
16
Newmont provided funding to RESOLVE for convening the Panel project. RESOLVE offered Panel
members an honorarium for their participation in the project. Jessica Evans declined the honorarium
that Newmont made available to Panel members through RESOLVE.
17
The Pamaka have established village settlements on islands in the river (tabikis) or on the
riverbanks.
7