When political authority derails into violence, populations can quickly become targets of systematic persecution and a nation can disintegrate. I briefly try to use some examples in recent world history as examples and end with a lesson for Suriname, because we need to learn from what other countries could have done differently. And set up good governance and policies for our country in this way.
In the aftermath of the Cold War, five tragic events of human suffering unfolded: in the spring of 1994, the Rwandan Civil War escalated into a genocide in which within a hundred days between 500,000 and 800,000 Tutsis, and tens of thousands of Hutus who were horribly killed, only for the international community to act and establish the ICTR. A year later, from July 11-22, 1995, Bosnian Serb forces invaded the UN-protected enclave of Srebrenica, slaughtered and systematically executed more than 8,000 Muslim men and boys, leading to the de facto split of Bosnia-Herzegovina and the establishment of the ICTR. Between 2003 and 2008, the Janjaweed in Darfur mainly struck Fur, Masalit and Zaghawa communities, killing an estimated 200,000 people, displacing 2.7 million and even an arrest warrant against President Bashir could not stop the violence. In April 2023, a new power struggle began in West Darfur around El Geneina, in which up to 15,000 Masalit were killed between June and November and hundreds of thousands fled their homes. And finally, Cyprus in 1974 shows how a coup by Greek Cypriot nationalists and Turkish intervention split the island into a Greek and Turkish north, with the UN "Green Line" as a permanent border and 200,000 displaced people witnessing a political division without mercy.
Lesson for Suriname
Suriname can strengthen its stability and togetherness by ensuring governance in which all ethnic groups have a say, so that no one feels excluded, while maintaining an impartial rule of law in which laws and court decisions apply equally to all, regardless of origin. A vigilant civil society, with a free press and active human rights organizations, ensures that signals of abuse of power or growing tensions are picked up early, while continued dialogue and cultural exchanges contribute to mutual understanding and reconciliation. By embedding these pillars inclusive governance, rule of law, social oversight and cultural connectedness in policy, Suriname can prevent ethnic divisions from turning into conflict, and preserve the rich beauty of our society.
