IACHR orders compensation for Suriname massacre survivors News
IACHR orders compensation for Suriname massacre survivors

[JURIST] The Inter-American Court of Human Rights [official website], part of the judicial branch of the Organization of American States [official website] regional body, has ordered the Suriname government [official website in Dutch] to pay $13,000 (USD) to each of the 130 survivors of a 1986 massacre of the N'djuka Maroon village of Moiwana by Suriname military forces. The massacre occurred during a guerrilla war against former military dictator Desi Bouterse [Wikipedia profile], who denied reports of soldiers slaughtering innocent villagers, but acknowledged that the military had been looking for "rebel fighters and sympathizers" in the area. In an opinion issued Monday, the Court also ordered the Suriname government to establish a $1.2 million (USD) development fund for health, housing and educational programs for Moiwana residents and is requiring the government to investigate and prosecute any individuals found to have participated in or ordered the massacre. Reuters has more.