Suriname's Amazon: Wayana Community Struggles to Contain Gold Miners

In Suriname's Amazon, the Wayana community faces numerous challenges as gold miners and traders, including Brazilians and Chinese, clear the forest in search of gold. These operations, often beyond law enforcement reach, lead to violent crimes, health issues from mercury use, and dwindling wildlife populations. The Indigenous Wayana communities, lacking official land titles, rely on delicate relationships with miners and traders to maintain access to the capital, Paramaribo. The only airstrip in the area, located in a Wayana village, gives the community leverage in negotiations. Residents emphasize the importance of maintaining good relations with miners and traders to facilitate travel to the city.