S. Hugo Jabini, who, with Head Captain Wanze, was the 2009 Goldman Environmental Prize winner for his lifelong work in Suriname in defense of the land and resource rights of the Saramaka people, is currently living in exile after serious and direct threats to his security.

His landmark work in the Saramaka people v Suriname case, which led to a ground-breaking judgement from the Inter-American Court on Human Rights, saw the rights of the Saramaka to freely determine and pursue development in accordance with their own aspirations and culture upheld. 

Since the judgement in August 2008, the Government of Suriname has refused to implement the substantive orders of the court and now appears to be pursuing the leaders of the case. Hugo urgently requires support in his imposed exile to continue fighting for the judgment's implementation. 

Raised in Saramaka territory, Hugo went on to study law at the University of Suriname and provide leadership in the legal fight for recognition of the rights.