6 representative [of the] Ministry of Regional Development[,] Ministry of Justice and police[,] representative President of Suriname[, and the] Ministry of Physical Planning.” 17. The representatives informed the following regarding the State’s compliance with Operative Paragraph 7, inter alia: a) “Suriname has requested support from the [UN] Special Rapporteur on the rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous people […] to draft the [relevant] legislation[, and that t]his was welcomed and endorsed by the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination [and] the Saramaka people.” Nevertheless, the representatives “note that the request to the Special Rapporteur primarily [relates to] the drafting of a new legislative framework without explicitly mentioning the amendment of existing laws.” b) The State has also simultaneously implemented “an IADB-funded project[, the SSDI project, run by an NGO called the Amazon Conservation Team of Suriname, to draft] legislation on the rights of indigenous and tribal peoples.” The representatives have expressed worry regarding the minimal experience of this NGO in “devising legislation and regularizing indigenous and tribal peoples’ rights[; the possible] “impartiality and independence” of this organization[; the] reject[ion] by the Association of Indigenous Village Leaders, the national indigenous peoples’ organization, and the Saramaka people themselves[ of this attempt, and] the existence of two potentially contradictory drafting processes [which] may lead to confusion and further delays in enacting the much needed legislation.” Lastly, “[c]onsidering that Suriname is to have implemented the Court’s orders by December 2010, [the representatives express that] there are justifiable concerns [given general elections scheduled for mid-2010 and the legislative delays associated with the disruptions of the election process] that this deadline will [not] be met.” 18. The “Commission consider[ed] the State’s reported decision to consult UN Special Rapporteur to be a positive development.” However, the Commission expressed worry “that there may be a parallel drafting of legislation on the rights of indigenous and tribal peoples[, and as such] requ[ested] the State provide detailed information in that regard.” 19. The President considers that the Court requires detailed information regarding the status of drafted and pending legislation and asks the State to address the noted concerns of the representatives and Commission. * * * 20. With regard to the adoption of legislative, administrative, and other measures necessary to recognize and ensure the right of the Saramaka people to be effectively consulted, the right to give or withhold their free, informed, and prior consent regarding development or investment projects that may affect their territory, and to reasonably share in the benefits of these projects, the State has created the SSDI project (supra Considering clause No. 8) to satisfy this obligation, yet has not further informed on other developments.

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