VZCZCXRO9466
RR RUEHGR
DE RUEHPO #0610/01 3331914
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 291914Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY PARAMARIBO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9824
INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0139
RUEHAO/AMCONSUL CURACAO 1202
RUEHIN/AIT TAIPEI 0025

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARAMARIBO 000610 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
WHA/CAR FOR JACKIE ROSHOLT, INR FOR BOB CARHART 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV NS CH TW
SUBJECT: CHINESE UNPOPULAR WITH SURINAME PRESS: "CHINESE 
INVASION?" 
 
REF: A. PARAMARIBO 297 
     ¶B. PARAMARIBO 305 
     ¶C. PARAMARIBO 315 
     ¶D. PARAMARIBO 346 
     ¶E. PARAMARIBO 441 
 
PARAMARIBO 00000610  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (SBU)  SUMMARY:  The Surinamese media is severely biased 
against Chinese immigrants to Suriname, Chinese products, and 
China as a political presence.  Privately editors and 
journalists commented bluntly, "I don't like the Chinese." 
The newspapers are to a degree beholden to the Chinese, 
however, as they own many of the shops where newspapers are 
sold.  The press's yellow journalism tactics provide 
counterpoint to the eager acceptance of Chinese friendship by 
the Government of Suriname (GOS).  This cable continues a 
series (refs) on China and its presence and influence in 
Suriname in 2007.  END SUMMARY 
 
------------------- 
"Chinese Invasion?" 
------------------- 
 
¶2. (U)  Surinamese newspapers frequently run stories and 
editorial content critical of the ethnic Chinese presence in 
Suriname.  Most is directed toward the so-called "new 
Chinese," recent immigrants who run hundreds of small corner 
shops across Suriname, who are accused of obtaining through 
corrupt means residence and business permits more quickly 
than Surinamese citizens.  In 2007, Suriname's four 
newspapers carried numerous disapproving editorial pieces, 
much of it focusing on the idea that Suriname will be taken 
over -- economically, linguistically, or politically -- by 
the Chinese.  Titles include "Suriname for the Surinamers" 
and "Chinese Invasion or Not?"  Editorialists pledged to be 
"watchful" and "alert" regarding the Chinese community, 
compared the Chinese presence to that of Jews in Germany 
before World War II, and commented "I think I'll just learn 
to speak Mandarin, the future language of Suriname."  The 
image of Suriname as a colony of China was rampant. 
 
-------------------------------------------- 
"Congratulations for Human Rights Violators" 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶3.  (U)  Surinamese papers maintained a steady drumbeat of 
criticism of the Chinese government, its embassy in Suriname, 
and the government of Suriname (GOS) -- which was painted as 
a weak-kneed, opportunist lackey of the Chinese.  The 
headline "Congratulations for Human Rights Violators," 
printed after the GOS sent congratulations to China on the 
opening of its 2007 party congress, is an example of typical 
editorial sarcasm.  Another paper reacted to GOS support for 
the One-China Policy in an editorial titled "Development 
Without a Human Face," writing, "sometimes you ask yourself 
if your own government isn't a guest in your own country." 
When the GOS firmly refused Taiwanese aid, the press accused 
the Chinese Ambassador of whispering how to handle the matter 
in the ear of the Vice-President, and the embassy of 
"diplomatic intimidation."  While China was occasionally 
praised for its rapid development, this was outweighed by 
criticism of its human rights record. 
 
------------------- 
"Slant Eyed" "Junk" 
------------------- 
 
¶4.  (U)  In the latter half of 2007, press ire focused on 
Chinese products that were internationally criticized for 
their quality.  A glut of articles were published, out of 
proportion to the danger created by the products.  One paper 
printed a satirical story titled "A Chinese Day," whose 
protagonist encounters "slant-eyed" bugs, monsters, and women 
who emerge from Chinese products and leave him in the 
hospital.  An editorial on the donation of European fire 
fighting equipment tangentially quipped "luckily it is not 
junk from the People's Republic of China."  An editorial 
cartoon appeared with a happy, stereotypically Chinese 
restaurant owner thinking of money while hanging food next to 
a dead rat in a garbage area. 
 
-------------------------------------- 
"I Don't Like Them..." But I Need Them 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  In private conversation, reporters and editors are 
more blunt than their newspaper content.  When talking about 
 
PARAMARIBO 00000610  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
trafficking in persons, one reporter, unprompted, brought up 
the Chinese issue to PolOff and said, "to be honest, I don't 
like them."  Others have made similar comments.  According to 
the editors of two other newspapers, their content would be 
even more critical if allowed.  Since newspapers are often 
sold in Chinese shops, the papers' owners need to protect 
their sales.  The editor of a prominent daily owned by an 
influential businessman with political aspirations told 
PolOff the only time the owner had ever influenced his 
editorial content was when the paper criticized the Chinese; 
the owner feared his products would be boycotted by the 
Chinese shop owners.  The owner of a second paper told PolOff 
a Chinese business association in Suriname had threatened him 
with a boycott, so he had reduced the critical editorial 
content. 
 
¶6. (SBU)  COMMENT:  While the GOS cozying up to China despite 
its poor human rights and environmental record is 
disheartening, the blame leveled by the press on ethnic 
Chinese for many of the nation's problems is borderline 
racist.  Suriname's poorly integrated "new Chinese" 
immigrants are used by the press as an "internal foreign 
enemy"  --  following the time honored tradition of yellow 
journalism around the globe -- and serve as one medium to 
unite the multiethnic Surinamese together.  As China 
continues to expand economically, politically, and 
demographically, the dichotomous reactions of Suriname's 
needy government and threatened public may present an example 
of conflicts ahead.  END COMMENT 
SCHREIBER HUGHES