Nieuw-Koffiekamp Explained

Official Name:Nieuw-Koffiekamp
Settlement Type:Village
Pushpin Map:Suriname
Pushpin Label Position:bottom
Pushpin Mapsize:300
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name: Suriname
Subdivision Name1:Brokopondo District
Subdivision Type2:Resort
Subdivision Name2:Brownsweg
Leader Title:Captain
Leader Name:Hermanus Shalwijk (2019)[1]
Population As Of:2017
Population Footnotes:[2]
Population Total:300
Population Density Km2:auto
Timezone:AST
Utc Offset:-3
Coordinates:5.0753°N -55.2122°W

Nieuw-Koffiekamp is a village in the resort of Brownsweg in the Brokopondo District of Suriname. It is a transmigration village built for the inhabitants of Koffiekamp which was flooded by the Brokopondo Reservoir after the construction of the Afobaka Dam.[3]

History

The transmigration village of Nieuw-Koffiekamp was founded in 1964, because the village of Koffiekamp was going to be flooded by the Brokopondo Reservoir. Koffiekamp was a federation of three settlements of the Ndyuka maroons: Maipa-ondo of the Misidjan lo (clan) founded in 1793, Baka Mbuju of the Njanfai lo, and Maria Hartmann founded Koffiekamp in 1851 as a mission of the Moravian Church.[4] The population was estimated at 500 inhabitants.[5]

Overview

Nieuw-Koffiekamp contains a school and a medical centre. It has access to the electricity grid.[6] The village is connected to the road network.[2] The number of inhabitants of the village varies greatly. The official figure in 2017 was 300, however the village council estimated the population at around 500.[2]

Gold mining conflict

The economy is mainly based on gold mining. Most of the villagers used to work at the Roma Pit. In 1994 the concession was awarded to Iamgold.[7] In mid-2010, the company started to exploit the mine and removed the goldprospectors from the mine. The people were given a new area which contained significantly less gold.[8] After protests, a contract was signed with Iamgold in 2017 which permitted the villagers to remain in the Roma Pit.[9] [7]

Notes and References

  1. News: Kapitein Shalwijk: overheid moet weg asfalteren en niet Iamgold Rosebel Goldmines . Suriname Herald . 15 July 2022 . nl . 28 June 2019.
  2. Web site: De bloeiende toekomst van Brokopondo . Rosebel Gold Mines . 15 July 2022 . 2017 . nl.
  3. Book: Kempen, Michiel van. Een geschiedenis van de Surinaamse literatuur. Deel 2. Digital Library for Dutch Literature. 2002. 15 July 2022. nl. Paramaribo. Okopipi. 9991464069. 114.
  4. News: Koffiekamp in historisch perspectief . 15 July 2022. nl. Werkgroep Caraïbische Letteren .
  5. Web site: . Week number 64-18 . 1 May 1964 . 15 July 2022 . nl . Open Beelden.
  6. Web site: Regionaal Plan Brokopondo . Planning Office Suriname. 2015. nl . 12,15,18.
  7. Web site: Maroons and Indigenous people in Suriname: the struggle for land rights . The Global Americas . Ine Apapoe . 9 December 2020 . 15 July 2022.
  8. News: United News.sr . Tweede transmigratie dorpelingen nieuw koffiekamp niet uitgesloten . 11 February 2016 . nl . 15 July 2022.
  9. News: Starnieuws . Iamgold staat Roma Pit af aan Nieuw Koffiekamp . 14 November 2017 . 15 July 2022 . nl.