Suriname - Ministerie van Defensie

The armed forces are responsible for national security and border control, with the military police having direct responsibility for immigration control at the country’s ports of entry. All elements of the military are under the control of the Ministry of Defense. Civilian police bear primary responsibility for the maintenance of law and order and report to the Ministry of Justice and Police. Police effectiveness was hampered by a lack of equipment and training and by low salaries. Police and military continued to conduct regular joint patrols as part of the government’s overall efforts to combat crime, and both also served on special security teams.

Civilian authorities maintained effective control over the military and police. Although the government continued to take steps to prosecute abusers in the security forces, observers nonetheless expressed concern that high public officials and security officers had impunity from enforcement. The Personnel Investigation Department (OPZ), an office within the Police Department, investigated complaints filed by citizens against members of the police force. The Internal Affairs Unit (ITZ) investigated allegations of misconduct by members of the police force. Military police and the judge advocate investigated offenses committed by soldiers.

According to the Constitution, the President of the Republic of Suriname is the supreme command of the armed forces. The Minister of Defense is responsible for the administration and the monitoring of the performance of the tasks of the army. The commander is responsible for command of the Army, Air Force, Navy and Military Police.

The task of the National Army is to defend the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Suriname against foreign armed military aggression. That is, the defense of not only the territory but also the territorial waters and the airspace above it.

The Ministry of Defense consists of the policy center and the operational portion (National Army) that constitute the defense organization. The Ministry of Defense has no departments. There are various departments and units. The policy center is responsible for the care of the military so that it adequately to efficiently and effectively carry out its duties assigned by law.

The Netherlands provided limited military assistance to the Surinamese armed forces since the election of a democratic government in 1991. In recent years, the US provided training to military officers and policymakers to promote a better understanding of the role of the military in a civilian government, as well as to improve the professional capabilities of its officers and senior personnel. The U.S. also provides assistance and training for disaster preparedness and mitigation as well as significant support for humanitarian aid projects.

Bilateral military cooperation (training, joint exercises, logistical support) also supports cross-border security and capacity building to support the sovereignty of Suriname’s government. Jointly combatting illegal fishing is producing promising results, particularly since the creation of a coastguards corps in Suriname which carries out joint patrols with the French armed forces.

Since the mid-1990s, the People's Republic of China provided small amounts of military equipment and logistical material to the Surinamese armed forces. The Netherlands, France, Venezuela, and Brazil also have working relationships with the Surinamese military.

Suriname's borders are porous; largely uninhabited, unguarded, and ungoverned rain forest and rivers make up the eastern, western, and southern borders, and the navy's capability to police Suriname's northern Atlantic coast is limited. Protecting natural resources from illegal exploitation such as unlicensed gold mining is difficult, and significant tax revenue is lost. Porous borders also make Suriname a target for transshipment of drugs.