When will the border dispute with Suriname end?

Feb 13, 2025 Letters

Dear Editor,

I have stated on several occasions that the dispute with Suriname concerning our border needs to be settled permanently and peacefully. The repeat of a previous showing of our territory in Suriname’s map shows that for some Surinamese, the dispute continues.

We must not approach this issue differently from our approach to Venezuela. There is a history of armed conflict with Suriname over the area in question. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation must seek condemnation from the government of Suriname over the use of such a map and the Ministry must also seek Suriname’s acceptance of the territorial integrity of Guyana. An apology alone will not suffice.

If the government of Suriname does not accept the border with Guyana as previously determined and accepted by the global community then we must use the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to resolve this dispute. Until this occurs, there can be no bridge linking our two countries.

The risk of military action by the Surinamese will increase if we do build the bridge. The government of Guyana must treat this problem as a national security threat. Yes, we are interested in having good relations with Suriname that brings business and prosperity.

It is also important for maintaining easy movement for the Indigenous people that were restricted by the establishment of the border which passes through their community. The affected tribe should be included in the final discussions to ensure that any resolution does not artificially divide the tribe that has been in the area prior to the establishment of the colonies. Our solution must be just and ensure that the original owners of the territory are the ones whose needs are not overlooked in any final and formal solution to the dispute. The advantages of a good relationship with our neighbour are numerous, but we should not be willing to establish such a relationship at the risk of losing part of our territory. A good neighbourly relationship must be mutual.

The current administration has done a lot towards developing good relations with our neighbour to the east. This is a path that was taken previously, but resulted in a conflict when oil exploration was being pursued. If the relationship has been truly restored then the government of Suriname will be willing to end the border dispute and accept the globally accepted border with Guyana. According to the official position as expressed by the Attorney General of Guyana, the Honourable Doodnauth Singh during his tenure, which lasted from 2001 to 2009, he reiterated the position discussed by the Netherlands and the UK, and the matter was submitted for arbitration. This resulted in the arbitration award of September 17th 2007.

The award speaks of several concerns raised by both parties and discusses the lack of agreement on oil exploration in the contested area. If Suriname has truly accepted the border, then economic activity in the area should no longer raise any concerns. Guyana must confirm the settlement of this border dispute with a final and official treaty between our two countries.