Hugo Jabini

Co-organizer of the Association of Saamaka Communities (VSG)

Association of Saamaka Communities

Saramaka, Suriname

Hugo Jabini is a Saramaka Maroon politician and environmental leader from Suriname. In 1998, he became spokesperson for the Association of Saamaka Communities (VSG), representing traditional authorities and advocating for collective land rights.

In 2007, he was part of the VSG legal team that won a landmark land rights case against the Surinamese government in international court. For this achievement, he shared the Goldman Environmental Prize in 2009.

From 2010 to 2015, Hugo served in the Surinamese National Assembly as a member of the National Democratic Party. Through his work, he continues to defend Maroon rights, environmental protection, and community self-determination.