Declaration on Cooperationfor the protection of the Forest, Water and Peoples of South SurinamePreambleThe Government, Trio and Wayana Communities and the Non-Governmental r!ani"ations have ta#enthe initiative to protect the Peoples, the Forest and Water in South Suriname $Forest and Water hereinafter to be called %Forest&', Considerin! that the culture of the Trio and Wayana Communities (as fostered for many years and ensured the maintenance of the value of the Forest) The communities are almost completelydependent on the Forest and (ant certainty for the survival of their Peoples and their territory) Considerin! that the continuously increasin! threats form a dan!er for humans and the forest in South Suriname) *specially the pressure of small-scale !old-minin! and the infrastructural (or#s (hich increasin!ly spread to(ards the South of Suriname) Considerin! that the Trio and Wayana communities are entitled to land and that the solution of the land ri!hts issue ta#es lon!er than e+pected, (hile the threats to the forest in South Suriname increase on a daily basis) Steps can already be ta#en for monitorin!, rehabilitatin! andpromotin! a healthy e+istence of the livin! environment of these communities) Considerin! that the Trio and Wayana communities already have developed a ,oint conservationand development vision (hich they presented to the Government on - December ./01) Considerin! that the Trio and Wayana communities of South Suriname and sta#eholders of Paramaribo and other locations from the coastal area have been involved in a 0.-month lon! process of information e+chan!e, consultation and dialo! about the protection of South Suriname) This process too# place in accordance (ith the cultural traditions and the international standards for participation of communities)We (ill cooperate to maintain the e2uilibrium of the Forest so that it can provide in a healthy continuede+istence of the Forest in South Suriname in particular, and for Suriname in !eneral) The area of cooperation is further detailed in the anne+)The cooperation (ill be shaped by periodically meetin! (ith each other, sharin! all information, openly discussin! matters, listenin! (ell, and bein! honest to(ards each other) *ach one of us has a specific tas# in the cooperation, (hich (ill be implemented (ith respect for each other so that (e can achieve our ultimate !oal of protectin! South Suriname) *ach of us shall be responsible that the cooperation (ill be successful, and for that reason re!ular reflection and evaluation (ill be necessary)The cooperation for the protection of South Suriname is in this phase based on five pillars3 4eadership and Culture, Protection, 5aintenance of *2uilibrium, Sustainable Development and Financin!)Pillar 03 4eadership and CultureWe (ant to have !ood leaders (ho are able to protect the re!ion and simultaneously develop the community) 6 !ood leader is someone (ho #no(s the history of the community very (ell, reco!ni"es its spirituality, and can create a vision on the future so that the community pro!resses) 6 !ood leader is a role model for his people and instills confidence in the community) 6 !ood leader listens attentively to the people, is open, fle+ible, impartial and can solve conflicts) 6 !ood leader does (hat he has promised, is innovative and solution-oriented) 6 !ood leader is a !ood ne!otiator for the villa!e, (ho #no(s the outside (orld (ell and is also reco!ni"ed by the outside (orld)*ach !ood leader (ill ma#e an effort3 To develop a vision for the protection and development of the Peoples and Forest in South Suriname) To inform the !overnment and other partners of this vision) First ma#e a thorou!h investi!ation and demarcate (hat is !ood and bad to!ether (ith the community, and partners, if any, prior to ta#in! decisions) To first consult and as# permission from the community prior to ta#in! decisions) To communicate (ell (ith the !overnment partners and other villa!es in South Suriname) To attract investments for the villa!e and stimulate entrepreneurship to advance the community) This (ill include the establishment of a 7illa!e Development Fund and identifyin! potential donors)Pillar .3 ProtectionWe (ant to protect the Forest of South Suriname for life of all Suriname and for that on (hich life depends) This means that the Forest needs to maintain its po(er and inte!rity, and shall be maintained3 To provide in o+y!en8air, medicinal plants, animals, soil8land, rivers and cree#s, food, a!ricultural plots, (ood species and !enetic resources) To maintain the life-support system and the culture, includin! shamanism and traditional #no(led!e) To counteract climate chan!e) To secure the health of the people and the livin! environment by stoppin! harmful influences from outside, such as !old minin!, commercial timber lo!!in!, road construction from lar!e cities) To identify and record #no(led!e about plants, in particular the identification and recordin! for the national collection) To provide in the semi-nomadic lifestyle of the Trio and Wayana communities of South Suriname) To protect Suriname9s (ater reserves, of (hich -:; ori!inates in South Suriname)Forest protection is a combined tas# of the Trio and Wayana communities, the Government and Non-Governmental r!ani"ations) The :' the sale of (ater> and 1' local donors $companies')6 cooperation fund (ill be established that (ill (or# to(ards !eneratin! funds) The pro,ects that (ill be eli!ible for fundin! shall be in the public interests and shall be applied for from (ithin the communities) 6ll pro,ects that are applied for (ill involve the protection and development of South Suriname) Different roles (ill be filled (ithin the funds) The cooperation for the !eneration of funds entails that (e further communicate and or!ani"e ourselves $re-initiate the Foundation Tareno ma Wa,anaton C aDoronmato T646W6')This statement (as dra(n up by the participants in the dialo!ue in cooperation (ith 6ttune $process development and !uidance' and translated by the official translators of the Paramount Chiefs of the Trio and Wayana communities)Paramaribo, A 5arch ./0A, si!ned by3Trio CommunityWayana Community5inistry of Spatial Plannin!, 4and and Forest 5ana!ementConservation