23
him questions in Moengo. Once they had spoken and the officers had taken
notes, the witness requested to see what they had written, but was refused.
Because the witness’ wife was killed unjustly, “it’s not possible to live a
normal life anymore.” He cannot even do the farming that he used to do at
Moiwana. Since “so many of ours died on that land,” and their murders were
“absolutely improper,” the witness believes that the State, in addition to
providing a proper investigation and compensation, should grant the former
residents their right to live in Moiwana Village. “It has to be recognized so
that we can dare to live there and use [the land].”
c) Antonia Difienjo, former Moiwana Village resident
The witness was present at Moiwana Village during the events of November
29, 1986; her father, who was a N’djuka loekoman or basia, her aunt, and
her baby of seven months were all killed during the massacre. Her child was
killed while in her arms.
The attackers spared some of the residents and “gave the order that we
should go.” As a result, the witness recalled that they “had to disappear in
the forest.” Later, the witness and others were found in the jungle and
assisted across the river into French Guiana. There they were placed in
refugee camps in Saffé. At the camps they had to support themselves by
growing produce and selling it. She and others still remain at the camps to
this day. Although they have written the Surinamese government letters,
State officials have not visited the Moiwana survivors in French Guiana.
“They considered us like dogs: you can kill them, you don’t have to pay that
much attention to them.”
At Moiwana, in the N’djuka tradition, women had the right to land and to
farm. The witness believes that this right is necessary, but states that it is
unavailable to them in French Guiana where she lives now: “there I can do
nothing.”
The Moiwana survivors have been unable to recover the bodies of those killed,
and they still do not know where the corpses are located. The witness has
understood that some of the bodies were taken to Moengo. In the N’djuka
culture, however, it is crucial to provide a proper burial – and there are many
ceremonies to perform for the deceased before the actual burial takes place.
Yet nothing can be accomplished without first recovering the remains of the
deceased. If these rituals are not observed, “it will burden all the children,
also be after ourselves.” Many negative consequences are possible for the
next of kin, such as going mad. By not fulfilling the traditional obligations
concerning the dead, “it is if we do not exist on earth.”
Her community has asked the State for justice after the attack, but Suriname
has not “reacted” to the request. “Compared to the others in the country, […]
we do not have the same rights in Suriname.” It is important for the
Moiwana survivors to work for justice together; toward this end, the witness
has collaborated with Andre Ajintoena, the chairman of the Association
Moiwana.