According to the Guardian, Suriname, the most forested country in the world, is facing significant threats to its forests due to increased_ illegal gold mining and logging. This expansion has also violated the rights of Indigenous and tribal peoples by infringing on their ancestral lands. The Saamaka people, among other Indigenous groups, have voiced strong opposition to these illegal activities, that severely disrupt their livelihoods. Despite a 2007 ruling by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) mandating a stop to these harmful economic activities and to respect the territorial boundaries of the Saamaka, the judgement has been largely ignored by local companies and other actors in the region. Instead, a fourfold increase in deforestation on Saamaka lands has been observed. In addition, illegal gold mining operations in the region are often characterised by labour rights abuses, which have increased in the nation as a whole. Health risks due to exposure to toxic chemicals such mercury further devastate communities.