Suriname, 1994

Our world is moving into a

new era which has not yet taken a permanent shape. This

process of change entails profound transformations, some

of which promote development, the rule of law, respect for

human rights and care for the environment, while others

present a serious threat to life and to the world itself.

During this process cultural, social and political principles

which once seemed to be of eternal value are superseded by

new ones.

In many parts of the world instability reigns, causing

tragedy and chaos.

In these challenging times, Sir, your unanimous

election as President of the General Assembly at its forty-

ninth session merits compliments. Your election to this

high office is a demonstration of the Member States’

confidence in you. The Republic of Suriname is

convinced that under Your Excellency’s guidance our

deliberations during this important year will produce

tangible results.

We pay tribute to Ambassador Samuel Insanally of

Guyana for the excellent way in which he presided at the

forty-eighth session of the General Assembly.

The vital, extraordinary and excellent manner in

which Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali fulfils his mission as

Secretary-General of the United Nations in these critical

times of intensified disputes, war and violence earns our

gratitude, admiration and respect. We wish to thank him

most heartily and, at the same time, congratulate him on

his important role in shaping the future of the

international system.

Events during recent years have confronted the

international community with the reality that the demise

of the confrontational clash of ideologies did not

automatically usher in the stability and prosperity to

which we all aspire. Immense problems persist in the

political, social and economic spheres and at the national,

regional and international levels.

We are witnessing the eruption, the continuation and

the spreading of severe national and ethnic rivalries, as in

Bosnia and Herzegovina and Rwanda. These conflicts

and disputes have given rise to the emergence of a large

number of displaced persons, who are subjected to the

worst kind of harassment, starvation and deprivation.

These manifestations are compounded by practices

that once again leave a shameful blot on our civilization.

The international community cannot close its eyes to

these practices or fail to act in the face of such horrifying

and unacceptable situations. Such crises, regardless of the

various causes and motives from which they may ensue,

tend to have in common the fact that masses of innocent

women, children and elderly people pay the price and

bear the brunt of conflicts and wars.

The real concern is not only the number of victims

claimed or the scale of the destruction that may ensue but

also the possibility that the seeds of those conflicts will

spread, both in the developed and in the developing

countries, in the absence of the attention of a world order

capable of containing and addressing their causes.

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It is legitimate for the international community to

regard these problems as a shared burden and to strive for

their peaceful and prompt solution on the basis of practical

cooperation. We should in the short term resort to such

mechanisms as are deemed practical to come to the

immediate rescue of those who are suffering. Furthermore,

we should increase our efforts to eliminate the deeprooted

causes of the unresolved national conflicts, to ensure the

civil and human rights of ethnic minorities and to promote

peaceful coexistence through respect for each other’s race,

colour, ethnicity, religion and sex. If we fail to do so, the

suffering will be prolonged and will threaten regional and

international peace and security.

As we discuss the issues now confronting our world,

we cannot but refer to the importance of building a new

reality that aims at the full development of the people’s

potential through the establishment of peace, the building of

democracy and the shaping of sound economies.

We know that it is a difficult process to establish

democracy, dependable democratic institutions and a

democratic culture. Notwithstanding the commitment or

vigour with which our Governments strive to achieve this

objective, the process is bound to be slow and full of

complications. Suriname is convinced, however, that we

must endeavour to reach this goal, led by the perception

that the core of democracy, as we see it, is not merely

adherence to an ideal system but one of the most important

prerequisites for a stable, united and integrated society that

can swiftly settle its differences, realize its aspirations and

enjoy and preserve its cultural, political and socio-economic

achievements.

The commitment of Suriname to the cause of

democracy is strengthened by the distressing experience of

the rule of dictatorship under which its people had to live

some years ago. There are indeed tremendous efforts

involved in bringing a democratic system back on track.

Our involvement in the building of a new national

political reality establishes a link between us and the

regional process of political renewal, in which Governments

of the region are faced with the complex task of restoring

and safeguarding democracy.

Indeed, in Latin America and the Caribbean,

democracy has suffered some severe setbacks.

The problems of Haiti are of particular concern to us.

The violent and illegal interruption of the democratic

process in this country has led to continued violations of

human rights, to increased poverty and to suffering for

the Haitian people, as well as to the flight of thousands

from their home country. It is against this background

that my Government has granted a request to provide a

temporary safe haven for Haitian refugees and has

pledged its support to the multinational force.

Furthermore, my Government decided to make

members of the national army and the police force

available to the United Nations mission in Haiti, which,

within the framework of the implementation of Security

Council resolution 940 (1994), will become operational

simultaneously with the restoration of the democratic

Government under the leadership of President Jean-

Bertrand Aristide.

My Government’s decision to support and participate

in the United Nations mission in Haiti was inspired by its

conception of regional and international responsibility to

contribute to the safeguarding of constitutional democracy

in the region.

We believe that our hemisphere is in need of

permanent mechanisms to guarantee swift and direct

action when democracy is threatened - for example, by

the unconstitutional take-over of Governments.

The significant efforts made by the United Nations

and the Organization of American States, including the

various resolutions adopted, the missions sent to Haiti and

the threat of an immediate military intervention, have

finally convinced the military leadership to step down not

later than 15 October.

In a general sense, we are hopeful that current

developments in Haiti, which are the result of initiatives

taken within the framework of the United Nations, will

lead to a peaceful resolution of the crisis. Suriname

wishes to emphasize that all efforts to restore democracy

in Haiti will appear to have been in vain if the rich

countries do not forthwith pool financial resources in a

fund for the reconstruction and development of Haiti.

The developments in South Africa which led to the

demise of the abhorrent regime of apartheid and to the

establishment of a democratic and non-racist South Africa

have led to the conviction that in the end the rightful

struggle of people for justice, equality and majority rule

will meet with success. Indeed, the birth of the new

South Africa last April has demonstrated that structures

imposed by force cannot survive the determination of

those who seek justice.

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The people and Government of the Republic of

Suriname wish to congratulate the people of South Africa

and their leaders, especially President Nelson Mandela, on

this success, which will have a positive impact on the world

community.

We are all greatly indebted to the Special Committee

against Apartheid, which for 32 years played a vital role in

global efforts to end apartheid. My country is confident

that the new Government in South Africa will cope well

with the new challenges it faces. We hope that the

international community will not wait to assist the new

Government in bringing about the necessary economic and

social changes to build a future of security, stability and

prosperity for the South African people.

The many positive political changes and international

breakthroughs resulting from the end of the cold-war era

have had a profound influence on the problem of the

Middle East, especially the Palestine issue. The conflict

has taken a positive turn in line with those changes. My

Government wishes to record its satisfaction over the

historic agreement signed between Israel and Jordan, which

followed the accord between Israel and the Palestine

Liberation Organization in September 1993. The historic

opportunity to achieve lasting peace has now materialized

and the international community must guarantee that this

important momentum is not lost.

The statistics of the United Nations Development

Programme, the World Bank and the United Nations give

rise to only one conclusion: that we live in a world beset

by inequality, gross disparity and imbalance in the

distribution of wealth and resources, and urgent solutions

for the economic situation of developing countries are

required.

The problem of economic imbalance is not limited to

a few countries or to one region. It is a global issue - just

as peace and democracy are global issues - and for that

reason this forum must deal with it as a matter of priority.

No longer is it the nuclear nightmare that frightens us most:

rather, it is the scourge of poverty, which continues to

erode the foundations of our civilization.

In Suriname, as elsewhere in Latin America, the

Caribbean and other regions, bold but necessary reforms

have been set in motion to eliminate obstacles to

development and economic competitiveness in order to

adapt to new international realities. In this context, my

country is endeavouring to rehabilitate and reconstruct the

beleaguered economy of our nation on a sound and solid

foundation.

Within the framework of these economic reforms we

consider the development of human resources to be a

priority issue. We consider it to be extremely important

to improve the living conditions and basic health and

nutrition of our people. We are committed to these goals

because we believe that every human being has the

ultimate right to development.

The austerity measures which were subscribed to by

my Government have not been easy to implement because

of the weakness of the economy and the hardships and

suffering they impose on our people. Notwithstanding the

progress made so far, it is obvious that such an

undertaking calls for the availability of vast resources,

which cannot be mobilized at the national level only. We

therefore have called on the international community to

provide assistance to complement our domestic efforts.

In particular, we have called on our historical partner to

fulfil the agreements reached in this context and to

support us in our attempts to create prosperity for our

people.

We must add to this that it is our obligation to see

to it that our need for aid does not lead to the

recolonization of our country.

My Government shares the international

community’s concern for the fragile ecosystem in our

world, which must be protected. Like other developing

countries, Suriname is confronted with the challenge to

meet its present development needs and simultaneously

safeguard the environment and natural resources for

generations to come. In trying to establish a sound

balance between development and environment my

Government has committed itself to taking all the

measures necessary to protect and preserve the

environment, in accordance with the guidelines adopted

by the Rio de Janeiro Conference, and has incorporated

the concept of sustainable development in its national

development programmes.

If the international community does not have the

political will to deal effectively with the crises occurring

in so many economies, the world will continue to lack

stability and will remain vulnerable to upheavals and

setbacks that could undermine the foundations of the

future.

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In the context of the recently held International

Conference on Population and Development and the

forthcoming Fourth World Conference on Women, a World

Summit for Social Development is therefore a timely

initiative as it will provide an opportunity to embark on an

in-depth analysis of human development in all its aspects.

These international meetings should afford all of us the

opportunity to address in an integrated manner the issues of

poverty, unemployment and social integration.

In Latin America and the Caribbean various

encouraging initiatives have been taken to deal effectively

with the imperatives of economic and social development

and to enhance the capability of the countries of the region

to respond to the pressing challenges ahead. Joint efforts

aimed at the strengthening of regional integration and

cooperation have been made.

On 24 July 1994 in Cartagena, Colombia, we stood at

the cradle of the Association of Caribbean States, an

association which brings together member States of the

Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the countries of

Central America, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Haiti,

Suriname, Mexico, Colombia and Venezuela. This is

indeed proof of the growing awareness among the

leadership in the region that closer economic and political

relations are tools to enhance our capacity to bring

prosperity to our peoples. By joining the Association of

Caribbean States, Suriname has demonstrated that it is part

of the region and wants to participate in the shaping of its

future.

Suriname has also explored the possibility of joining

CARICOM as a full member since it believes that by

joining Suriname will both enhance its own capacity to

intensify regional cooperation and bring to the Caribbean

Community its cultural richness and its economic

opportunities.

Our hemisphere, which includes both developed and

developing countries, is being challenged to take the

opportunity provided by global changes to develop

initiatives for the cultivation of international relations

conducive to prosperity for all on the basis of sustainable

development, social reform and equity.

In the light of these aims, my country welcomes the

proposed Summit for the Americas, to be held in December

1994, at which representatives of countries of the Western

hemisphere will come together to address these issues and

to act as catalysts for the changes needed in the

development patterns of both the countries of the North and

those of the South in order for them to reach their

common goals.

The United Nations Convention on the Law of the

Sea has on many occasions been described as one of the

most important multilateral legal instruments of our

century. My Government participated actively in its

preparation, and I take great pleasure in congratulating the

world community on the coming into force of this

Convention on 16 November 1994.

On behalf of my Government, I also wish to express

my satisfaction with the agreement that has been reached

with regard to the mining of minerals in the deep sea-bed,

as contemplated in the aforementioned Convention.

All Members of the United Nations pledge their

support for the principles and initiatives of the United

Nations. At the same time, the Member States are

keeping an eye both on the kind of support and on the

level of assistance they can generate from this

Organization. Suriname does so.

For Suriname, many aid programmes from the

specialized agencies and other United Nations bodies have

been hampered by the implementation of one of the main

criteria for assistance. Suriname was counted among the

net contributors of the United Nations Development

Programme because our national per capita income was

calculated to be higher than $3,000. This figure is wrong

because of an unrealistic official exchange rate. Now that

the official exchange rate has moved to a realistic level,

which is more than 100 times the former rate, Suriname

is looking forward to a readjustment of its status and

subsequently to a reclassification, and also to the aid

programme that will follow this transformation.

We are involved in an evolutionary process, with

both the world and the United Nations adjusting to new

demands with regard to peace, security and sustainable

development. It is clear that a new international order

based on the democratic participation of all States calls

for a restructuring and strengthening of the United

Nations in response to its new responsibilities. Indeed,

the role of the United Nations has taken on more

relevance than ever before, and it is most urgent for the

international community to restructure this Organization

in order to enable it to play the important role for which

it was created.

The celebration in 1995 of the fiftieth anniversary of

the United Nations will be a good occasion on which to

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reflect on the new role of the Organization and the

attainment of that objective, provided that the relations

between the General Assembly, the Security Council and

the Secretary-General are reorganized.

My Government is committed to contributing to the

successful outcome of this endeavour.