Suriname 2019 Crime and Safety Report This is an annual report produced in conjunction with the Regional Security Office at the U.S. Embassy in Paramaribo. The current U.S. Department of State Travel Advisory at the date of this report’s publication assesses Suriname at Level 1, indicating travelers should exercise normal precautions. Overall Crime and Safety Situation The U.S. Embassy in Paramaribo does not assume responsibility for the professional ability or integrity of the persons or firms appearing in this report. The American Citizens’ Services unit (ACS) cannot recommend a particular individual or location, and assumes no responsibility for the quality of service provided. Review OSAC’s Suriname-specific page for original OSAC reporting, consular messages, and contact information, some of which may be available only to private-sector representatives with an OSAC password. Crime Threats There is considerable risk from crime in Paramaribo. Government statistics indicate a modest increase in personal and property crime in 2018, following an overall reduction in 2017 and elevated rates in 2016. Street crimes, including theft of backpacks, purses, jewelry (particularly necklaces), and cell phones are regular occurrences. Reports indicate criminals often use weapons against victims in the commission of street crimes, particularly when victims resist. Perpetrators often escape by moped or motorbike, and evade police capture. Armed robbers targeted several expatriates walking in close proximity to popular hotels and near Combe Market. No areas of Paramaribo are completely safe. Criminals move without restriction into and out of neighborhoods where expatriates live, often using scooters or motorcycles to evade police. In one reported case in 2018, a burglar tied up a guard in an affluent neighborhood, while in another instance two burglars violently assaulted and robbed a guard attempting to deny gate access. Robberies are concerns in Albina and Moengo cities, Brokopondo District, along the East-West Highway between Paramaribo and Albina, and along the Afobakka Highway in Para District. Criminals often carry firearms or other weapons, and will use them, especially if victims resist. Handgun permits are very difficult to obtain, but many criminals have handguns anyway. Shotguns, the only firearms normally owned by civilians, are also frequently used in the commission of crimes. Although illegal, hunters use gun traps in the interior. Multiple private security companies operate in Paramaribo. Several specialize in providing middle and upper class neighborhoods sharing service costs with uniformed mobile patrols using guards with marked vehicles or bicycles. Static security guard posts are much less pervasive than neighborhood patrols, with only the highest-income residences employing 24/7 fixed-position guard services. Cost remains the primary determinant of residential security guard service. Suriname 2019 OSAC Crime & Safety Avoid using debitR and credit cards because of identity theft concerns. Keep your card in your sight at all times. Consider using prepaid credit cards with limited funds when traveling. Exchange currency at banks, hotels, and official exchange houses (cambios); doing so outside of these locations is illegal and can be dangerous. Organized crime does exist in Paramaribo, but on a smaller scale than other cities in the region. Other Areas of Concern Avoid walking in downtown Paramaribo and the Palmentuin (Palm Garden) after dark; criminals often target foreigners in these areas. Travel to the interior of the country requires caution. Anyone venturing into the interior should have a seasoned guide and some form of communication. Services offered through major hotels and tourist agencies are usually safer and more reliable. There have been reports of robberies of tourists and foreigners in the countryside, and occasional reports of bandits on rural roads. Criminals attacked and robbed a group of Dutch tourists in April 2018 on the road to Langatabiki, in Sipaliwini district. An incident targeting employees of a gold company in Para district in June 2018 ended with a young woman dying from gunshot wounds. Transportation Safety Situation For more information, review OSAC’s report, Security in Transit: Airplanes, Public Transport, and Overnights. Road Safety and Road Conditions Cars drive on the left side of the road. Vehicle accidents are a very real safety hazard. In general, road conditions, particularly outside Paramaribo, are well below U.S. standards. Drivers should be very cognizant of mopeds, scooters, and motorcycles, especially when making left turns; they are common and always have the right of way, as local law considers them pedestrians. The East-West Highway stretches from Nieuw Nickerie in the west to Albina in the east. Parts of the road are not in good condition. During the rainy season, sinkholes develop along the road. Roads in the interior are sporadically maintained dirt roads passing through sparsely populated rain forest. Bridges are in poor condition. Check with the police station in Albina for the latest safety information regarding travel between Paramaribo and Albina. Police only sporadically enforce local traffic laws, so locals drive recklessly. Driving while talking on a cell phone is illegal, and is one of the few traffic offenses the police enforce. On the other hand, drivers might openly consume alcohol from labeled containers while operating their vehicles, particularly during the holidays, with a low likelihood of police regulation. Older traffic cameras in select locations are unused or unserviceable. Paramaribo reportedly installed 300 new security cameras for the December 2018 launch of its “Safe City Project.” The digital network, centrally monitored from a command center in Wanica district, consists of police, firefighters, and national security officers. Strategically positioned throughout Paramaribo, the cameras employ license plate-reader technology and infrared video capability. Suriname 2019 OSAC Crime & Safety Until recently, Rdrivers had to leave a vehicle involved in an accident exactly where the accident occurred, and stay at the scene until the police arrive to take a report, even though the wait could be hours. If the driver left the scene before police arrive, police may have charged them with leaving the scene of an accident. Since 2018, however, drivers involved in a collision where there is only material damage and the vehicles are movable without great effort may work directly with their insurance provider(s), and no longer have to wait for the police. The police will still respond to collisions in which there is serious vehicle damage and the cars cannot move. Police will also respond in cases of grievous bodily harm, driving without a driver’s license, or driving under the influence of alcohol or intoxicants. Some international firms operating in Suriname provide their employees medical support, including medevac services, in case of serious vehicle accidents. Public Transportation Conditions Visitors unfamiliar with the country should not use public transportation (minibuses), especially outside of Paramaribo; it can be very dangerous. The three highways leading out of Paramaribo are often the sites of horrendous accidents, usually due to speeding, and often involving buses or vans transporting passengers. The use of reputable taxis, however, is generally acceptable. The U.S. Embassy prohibits its employees from using Fly All Ways, an airline based in Paramaribo, for official travel due to safety concerns. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has assessed the government of Suriname’s Civil Aviation Authority as compliant with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards for oversight of Suriname’s air carrier operations. Terrorism Threats Local, Regional, and International Terrorism Threats/Concerns There is minimal risk from terrorism in Paramaribo. Media reported the 2017 arrest by Surinamese police of two individuals for ties with ISIS. The suspects stood at court in November 2018 with another session scheduled for January 2019. There are no known indigenous terrorist groups operating in Suriname. As a non-aligned country, Suriname is not the target of any known radical groups. While there have been criminal threats against U.S. private-sector organizations in Suriname, no terror threats have been reported. Political, Economic, Religious, and Ethnic Violence Civil Unrest There is minimal risk from political violence in Paramaribo. Protests organized by anti-government groups and labor unions occur occasionally, but are generally non-disruptive and not well attended. The likelihood of demonstrations could increase closer to the 2020 national election. Suriname 2019 OSAC Crime & Safety Post-Specific RConcerns Environmental Hazards Flooding occurs regularly in Paramaribo during the rainy seasons (May-August, November- February). Driving can be difficult or dangerous in some areas. Paramaribo’s canals occasionally flood past street-level, leaving some drivers unable to determine where the road ends and canals begin. Due to poor drainage, floodwater can last several days. Telephone and internet service can be problematic, especially during periods of heavy rains. Parts of the country’s interior do not have reliable cell phone reception. Over 80% of the country is largely uninhabited rainforest, which yields related dangers such as hazardous flora and fauna, vector-borne diseases, gun traps, insufficient medical