THE TIGRI ISSUE IS ONGOING has been going on for almost sixty years. In the meantime, no Surinamese government, regardless of political affiliation, has managed to force a definitive breakthrough. Diplomatic notes of protest are exchanged, statements are made and new talks are announced, but the status of the area remains unchanged. Minister Melvin Bouva’s words that protests in themselves do not solve the problem are therefore an important recognition of reality.
The intention to reconvene the Joint Boundary Commission of Suriname and Guyana is in itself to be welcomed. Dialogue between neighboring countries is always preferable to escalation. Yet history shows that this commission has so far failed to produce a tangible solution. If decades of consultation do not lead to progress, it can be concluded that simply sticking to the same track offers little perspective.
Diplomacy remains necessary, but if it does not bring a solution after decades, we must have the courage to take the next step
In addition, Guyana has shown in recent years that it does not shy away from international legal proceedings when it believes that doing so serves its interests. In the border dispute with Venezuela, Georgetown emphatically opted for the International Court of Justice. Suriname cannot therefore afford to simply wait until the other party is prepared to return to the table.
Precisely for that reason it is time to consider a fundamental step. When joining the International Court of Justice, Suriname made a reservation as a result of which the court has no jurisdiction over Surinamese border disputes. This reservation may have been motivated by political and diplomatic considerations at the time, but nowadays it also limits the country’s own options for having a dispute finally settled through legal means.
Lifting that reservation does not in any way mean that Suriname gives up its claims on Tigri. On the contrary. Anyone who is convinced of the strength of their historical, legal and geographical arguments does not have to fear an independent judge. Regardless of the outcome, an International Court of Justice ruling could finally provide the clarity that negotiations have failed to bring for decades.
This does require thorough preparation. Suriname will have to carefully update its historical documents, maps, treaties and legal arguments and engage international experts. At the same time, diplomacy must continue so that any legal proceedings are not seen as a hostile act, but as a peaceful means to finally resolve an intractable dispute.
There is great national unity about Tigri. Almost everyone agrees that the territorial integrity of Suriname must be defended. That is precisely why the country deserves a strategy that goes beyond protest notes and endless conversations. Diplomacy remains necessary, but if it does not bring a solution after decades, we must have the courage to take the next step. The time has come for Suriname to open the door to the International Court of Justice and finally strive for a definitive solution to the Tigri issue. The first step is to lift the reservation on border issues at the International Court of Justice.
