Strengthening Conflict Resolution Capacities in Suriname’s Saamaka Landscape

Disputes and power struggles in the community

The Saamaka community has a long tradition of managing forests collectively. However, the influence of external actors and the issuance of community forestry licenses has sparked disputes. Logging concessions have been granted to local authorities without consultation of the broader community. These power imbalances have led to mistrust and internal divisions within the Saamaka community.

These challenges highlighted the need for a more structured approach to resolving disputes. Community members who had previously participated in leadership trainings organized by Tropenbos Suriname asked for support in addressing the power imbalances and unequal benefit sharing through conflict management training. Tropenbos Suriname and the Association of Saamaka Communities (VSG) designed a training program that directly addressed the root causes of these disputes. The program was structured to build local ownership over conflict resolution, ensuring that solutions were developed and implemented by and within the Saamaka community.

Hands-on training for lasting change

A series of interactive activities brought together 74 women, 39 men and 13 youth from the Saamaka community, along with traditional leaders from five villages. These activities included a general assembly of Saamaka women to discuss conflict resolution, capacity strengthening workshops, a leadership training and a training on conflict resolution. Through role-play exercises, participants explored real-life scenarios—such as a village captain granting a logging license without community consultation. These exercises provided a platform for participants to discuss the consequences of unequal benefit-sharing and the importance of inclusive decision-making.

The training was specifically tailored to the local context, by combining modern negotiation techniques with traditional conflict resolution methods. The sessions adapted conflict resolution strategies to the local reality, acknowledging that different villages experience disputes in unique ways. This open approach to the trainings led to discussions on certain types of conflict that were not directly expected. The local youth also explained how disputes between parents played a role within their classrooms at school, affecting multiple layers of the community. This local reality showed the importance to focus on the smaller tensions within the community, as a first step in addressing the bigger conflicts around the community. With more social cohesion within the community, the community will stand stronger against illegal logging or incentives that drive the unequal benefit sharing. In this way, the Saamaka community will become a more resilient and powerful community.

Lessons learned and next steps

The training made a strong impact, shifting perspectives on conflict management. Participants came to see dispute resolution not as a way to “win” a conflict but as a means to strengthen governance and social cohesion. A key takeaway was that seemingly small conflicts—such as tensions over leadership roles—often escalate into larger disputes and unequal governance if left unaddressed. Addressing these smaller issues proactively is essential for preventing deeper divisions and working towards stronger governance within the landscape.

Moving forward, Tropenbos Suriname and VSG plan to expand conflict resolution training across additional villages. They will also work to integrate these lessons into broader governance structures, ensuring that the Saamaka community develops a sustainable, locally driven conflict management approach. With continued support, this initiative will contribute to a more unified and resilient Saamaka landscape, where inclusive decision-making leads to both social cohesion and better forest governance.