Brazilians in Suriname

Brazilians in Suriname form a large community consisting mostly of miners. The number of Brazilians in the country is estimated at 40,000, nearly 10 percent of the population.[1]

Brazilians in Suriname
Total population
40,000
Regions with significant populations
Albina · Paramaribo
Languages
Portuguese · Sranan Tongo
Religion
Roman Catholicism
Related ethnic groups
Brazilian diaspora

Settlement

Suriname's low population density and abundant natural resources have attracted numerous migrants from neighboring Brazil.[2] Over the past decade or so, as many as 40,000 Brazilians, mostly illegal immigrants, have moved to Suriname, a country with fewer than half a million citizens. Many if not most Brazilians in Suriname work as small-scale gold miners in the town of Albina which has become primarily a base for nomadic gold prospectors.[3]

Albina riots
Further information: 2009 Albina, Suriname riots

Gold mining in Albina is typically environmentally destructive and it often results in clashes between the miners and indigenous peoples.

In late December 2009, a series of riots occurred when local maroon inhabitants attacked Brazilian, Chinese, Colombian and Peruvian gold diggers after a man was allegedly stabbed to death by a Brazilian.[4] The Brazilian government sent a diplomatic mission on December 27, 2009 to attend the Brazilian victims.[5] Five Brazilians returned to Brazil on December 27 on an airplane of the Brazilian Air Force.[6] On December 28, an airplane with capacity for 40 people was sent to the city with the purpose of rescuing more Brazilians.[6]

See also

References
  1. "Guyana: Caught in Brazil's Net?; Small Nation, New to Free Markets, Fears Loss of Its Identity", The New York Times, 30 March 2000.
  2. "Ethnic Rioting in Suriname", Geo Currents, 30 December 2009.
  3. Elizondo, Gabriel (December 27, 2009). "Christmas violence in Suriname". Al Jazeera. Retrieved December 27, 2009.
  4. "Conflito no Suriname levou a pelo menos 7 mortes, diz missionário" (in Portuguese). G1 Globo.com. December 26, 2009. Retrieved December 27, 2009.
  5. "Brasil envia missão diplomática ao Suriname para atender brasileiros atacados" (in Portuguese). Google. December 27, 2009. Retrieved December 27, 2009.
  6. "Suriname: detidos 35 suspeitos de agredir brasileiros" (in Portuguese). iG. December 28, 2009. Archived from the original on February 29, 2012. Retrieved December 28, 2009.
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