II PROCEEDINGS BEFORE THE COURT 4. Notice to the State6 and the representatives of the alleged victims.7 The Commission’s submission of the case was notified to the State and to the representatives of the alleged victims (hereinafter “the representatives”) on February 27, 2014. 5. Brief with pleadings, motions and evidence. On April 24, 2014, the representatives presented their brief with pleadings, motions and evidence (hereinafter “pleadings and motions brief”). 6. Response. On October 3, 2014, the State submitted to the Court its response to the brief submitting the case, and with observations on the pleadings and motions brief (hereinafter “response”). 7. Summons to the hearing. By an order of the President of the Court dated December 18, 2014,8 it was decided, among other matters: (i) to require one alleged victim, one witness, and one expert witness proposed by the representatives, and one witness propose by the State,9 to provide their testimony by affidavit; (ii) to summon the parties to a public hearing to receive the statements of two alleged victims and an expert opinion proposed by the representatives, as well as an expert opinion proposed by the Commission, and (iii) to transfer to this case the expert opinions of Mariska Muskiet and Magda Hoever-Venoaks presented in the case of the Saramaka People v. Suriname. The affidavits were received on January 27, 2015. 8. Public hearing. The public hearing was held on February 3 and 4, 2015, in San José, Costa Rica, during the Court’s 107th regular session.10 During the hearing, the Court received the testimony of the alleged victims Captain Ricardo Pané and Captain Jona Gunther, and of expert witness Victoria Tauli-Corpuz proposed by the representatives, and also of expert witness Jeremie Gilbert, proposed by the Commission. In addition, it received the final oral observations and arguments of the Commission, the representatives and the State. Furthermore, the representatives submitted a map establishing the approximate limits of the territory claimed by the Kaliña and Lokono peoples, as well as a copy of the 2014 draft bill on recognition of traditional authorities. 9. Amicus curiae. On February 18, 2015, under the provisions of Article 44(1) of the Court’s Rules of Procedure, the Secretariat received an amicus curiae brief with two attachments 6 For this case, the State was represented by Martin M. Misiedjan, Agent, and Dr. Jennifer Van Dijk-Silos, Deputy Agent (merits file, folio 96). 7 For this case, the accredited representatives are Fergus MacKay, Senior Counsel, Forest Peoples Programme, and David Padilla, assistant legal counsel (merits file, folio 80). 8 Case of Kaliña and Lokono peoples v. Suriname. Order of the President of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights of December 18, 2014. Available at: http://www.corteidh.or.cr/docs/asuntos/kaliñaylokono_18_12_14.pdf. 9 On January 15, the Court asked the State to confirm whether Claudine Sakimin was a member of its delegation or a witness, since it was not possible for her to fulfill both functions (merits file, folio 327). On January 27, 2015, with the presentation of Claudine Sakimin’s affidavit, the State tacitly declared that she was a witness (merits file, folio 486) and ratified this expressly in a communication received on January 29, 2015 (merits file, folios 507 and 508). 10 There appeared at this hearing: (a) for the Inter-American Commission: James Louis Cavallaro, Commissioner, Silvia Serrano Guzmán, Jorge H. Meza Flores and Erick Acuña Pereda, Advisers; (b) for the representatives of the alleged victims: Fergus MacKay, David Padilla, Alancay Morales Garro and Max Ooft, as interpreter, and (c) for the State of Suriname: Martin P. Misiedjan, Asishkumar R. Lala, Robbin Mussendijk, Ajaij Piarelal, Grasella Jozefzoon, Armilia Tojosemito, and M. Pool, as interpreter. 7